The SWAT Kats' Final Resistance
by C. L. Furlong
Summary: One of the SWAT Kats is claimed to be dead in a jet crash. Dark Kat takes advantage of it and creates the most dreadful evil alliance ever witnessed by Katkind
1. The SWAT Kats' Final Resistance - Part O...

TITLE: THE SWAT KATS' FINAL RESISTANCE - PART ONE   
  
AUTHOR: C. L. Furlong   
  
DATE: December 08, 2000   
  
FINISHED: December 30, 2000   
  
E-MAIL: chance_lizard_furlong@aeiou.pt  
  
RATING: PG13  
  
SUMMARY: One of the SWAT Kats is claimed to be dead in a jet crash.   
Dark Kat takes advantage of it and creates the most dreadful evil   
alliance ever witnessed by katkind.   
  
DISCLAIMER: SWAT Kats and anything related to the series is property   
of Hanna-Barbara. No infringement is intended and no profit is gained  
with this fiction.   
  
COMMENTS (long and boring): Don't think I'm a kat assassin! I'm only   
murdering one of the SWAT Kats - my favorite character, as a matter   
of fact - for the fic's sake. This fiction takes place a few years   
after the serie's last episode "Unlikely Alloys". All Megakat City's   
villains never rested in that meantime but my fic starts with Dark Kat   
attempting to steal something at M. C. B. Labs after the SWAT Kats had   
raided his hideout somewhere in Megakat Island. This fiction should have   
been an ode to brotherhood and true love but as it continued, I inserted   
a few dark - or should I say red - scenes. And by the looks of my ideas   
for Part Two, it may get even darker. This fiction contains some excerpts   
and characters from the episodes "Katastrophe", "Mutation City", "When   
Strikes Mutilor". Caverns of Horror" and "Cry, Turmoil". This is my first   
SK fiction although I've already written 19 fics and have ideas for another   
28 on other subjects, all of them in Portuguese, my mother language. So, if   
you find any grammar or spelling errors in this fiction, please try to remind   
that I'm writing in a foreign language. If you tend to find some parts of this   
fiction like a lecture, never mind that: it's just my training as a Biology/  
Geology teacher claiming it's place. And please *do* let me know about your   
comments on this fic so I could do something better next time. One final   
word: *please*, do not let the SWAT Kats die away! I've just ventured   
myself in this world of SK fanfic writing because of the superb fanfics   
I've read from the Internet. The Radical Squadron deserves our best   
efforts to keep them alive and kicking...   
--------------------------------------------------------------   
THE SWAT KATS' FINAL RESISTANCE  
  
"You shall not defeat me again, SWAT Kats!" - Dark Kat bellowed  
at the black jet plummeting down on him. In the rear seat of the  
jet, Razor announced...  
  
"Octopus missile...AWAY!"  
  
One red and blue missile fired away from the TurboKat locked on  
Dark Kat's figure. While in the air, the missile opened up into  
eight "tentacles." Dark Kat turned on his paws and darted across  
the cement parking lot of Megakat City Biochemical Labs. Seconds  
after, the missile was pinning his huge bulk to the ground.  
  
"BINGO" - Razor shouted.  
  
"Nice shooting, buddy!" - T-Bone said, peering from his seat  
back at Razor - "Now we've got Dark Crud right where we want  
him!" - he said with a grin on his muzzle.  
  
"Wait, T-Bone! I'm picking up something on the radar..."  
  
"Yeah, and I got visual!" - T-Bone said, leaning forward -  
"Drones! Ten's of 'em!"  
  
"Dark Kat must've call 'em!" - Razor replied, already running  
his fingers over the keyboard.  
  
"Well, Razor? Think you can handle 'em?  
  
"No sweat, buddy! Banshee missiles... locked..."  
  
"Tell me you're not planning to use those screwy missiles of  
yours..." - T-Bone moaned.  
  
"Don't worry, T-Bone! I've tripled their power since last  
time. Trust me!"  
  
"Do I have another choice?" - T-Bone muttered.  
  
"Actually... no! DEPLOY!" - Razor shouted, with a smile in  
his snout. Two missiles were fired at the drones, emitting  
high-pitched sonic waves that scrambled the electronic  
circuits of the nearest drones, causing them to blow up in the  
air. However, it took only a laser blast from one drone to  
destroy both missiles.  
  
"Told you before and I'm telling you now: those screamin'  
demons of yours should have done less yellin' and more  
squirmin'!" - said T-Bone, maneuvering the jet around the  
laser blows of the little machines that were already  
circling them.  
  
"There's too many of 'em! Gotta put 'em out of commission  
right now! CRUD!"  
  
"What's up, Razor?"  
  
"I'm outta missiles! We spent to many of 'em in Dark Kat's  
hideout!"  
  
"There's always the cement launcher!" - T-Bone remembered.  
  
"I know. I'm already locking on 'em." - Razor said. The  
sights were chasing the drones in the LCD screen of Razor's  
visor in his helmet. - "I got a lock on! Firing... now!  
  
Cement rained from the machine gun at the incoming drones.  
To heavy to continue to fly, the drones plummeted down like  
rocks, exploding all around the parking lot.  
  
"Aha! BINGO!" - Razor congratulated himself.  
  
"I gotta hand it to you, buddy... Fast thinking..." - T-Bone  
said, settling back in his seat.  
  
"Couldn't have done it without you, pal! Nice flying!" - Razor  
said, patting T-Bone's shoulder.  
  
"OK! Let's just dump Dark Crud into the Enforcers' paws and  
get outta here."  
  
"Hold on, T-Bone! We still got company!" - said an alarmed  
Razor, peering down at the radar - "I'm picking up something  
else on the radar!"  
  
"More drones..." - a bored T-Bone growled softly.  
  
"No, wait! They're bigger than before!" - Razor noted. T-Bone  
leaned from his seat and peered down at the parking lot,  
searching for the octopus missile that pinned Dark Kat to the  
ground. He found it more to his left. The missile shimmered  
a little in the sun but he caught a good glimpse of it. He  
couldn't believe in his eyes! He was gone! Dark Kat was gone!  
  
"Where's Dark Kat?" - T-Bone asked to nobody in particular.  
Even so, Razor answered him.  
  
"He's caught in an octopus missile, remember?"  
  
"Not any more! He's gone!"  
  
"WHAT? How..." - an alarm cut off Razor's sentence. He  
backed his attention to the radar again. The glowing dots  
in the screen were bigger and the size of them worried Razor.  
They were the size of a car! The other drones they were used  
to fighting were only the size of a TV set! - "T-Bone, do you  
have visual?"  
  
"Negative!"  
  
"How come? They're as big as cars! You should have visual  
contact of 'em!"  
  
"Wait! I see somethin' there! You're right! Kats alive!  
Those things *are* big! And they're closing in *fast*! We  
gotta do somethin' *now*, Razor!"  
  
"What do you want me to do? I'll try to cement 'em, that's  
all I *can* do!"  
  
Gusts of bullets passed just inches away from both sides of the  
canopy.  
  
"T-BONE!" - Razor shouted.  
  
"We're outta here, buddy! I'll try to outrun 'em!" - T-Bone  
said, gritting his teeth. Easier said than done! Whatever  
those things were, they were made to have it neck to neck with  
the TurboKat. - "Crud! Can't shake 'em! Engaging Speed of Heat  
thrusters!" - T-Bone said. Four auxiliary thrusters slide down  
and up the rear of the jet as its wings swung backward. The  
TurboKat jumped forward when the four thrusters roared to life,  
joining the three that were already in motion.  
  
"If this can't shake those things outta our tails, nothing  
can!" - T-Bone said, grabbing the control handle with both paws.  
Razor was crushed against his seat. He didn't have time to  
prepare himself for the boost. However, he could see the dots  
starting to move to the top of his radar's screen. Slowly,  
they started to disappear. Seconds later, the last dot vanished  
from the screen. Razor knew that meant nothing. T-Bone just  
managed to outrun them, but if they stopped, they would be caught  
in a question of minutes.  
  
"CRUD!" - T-Bone gasped as if he could hear Razor's thoughts.  
  
"What is it, T-Bone?"  
  
"We're nearly outta fuel! Great! What else can go wrong!"  
- T-Bone muttered. - Exiting Speed of Heat mode." As he  
said it, the thrusters fainted their roar and slid back into  
the rear of the jet.  
  
"What do we do now, buddy?" - T-Bone asked, looking back at  
Razor. He could see they hadn't many options. They could fly  
to the hangar to refill and reload or they could stand there  
and face the incoming machines. The indecision was, in a way,  
a decision. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge drone flew over  
the canopy, followed by two more.  
  
"Whatever we do, buddy, we better do it fast!" - Razor said,  
checking for any last hour resort. He still had the cement  
machine gun. And he had one more thing...Razor couldn't believe  
in his eyes! They had one more missile...  
  
"Holy Kats!" - he muttered in bewilderment - "This may be our  
way out! We got one more missile, T-Bone!"  
  
A gust of bullets pinpointed the left side hull of the  
TurboKat, penetrating in it.  
  
"Whoa! Those bullets damaged the hull!" - T-Bone said -  
"Thought you told me this agrecite alloy could resist any  
bullet, Razor!"  
  
"It should! If those bullets can penetrate our hull, then we're  
really in big trouble, T-Bone!"  
  
"Better take your best shot, buddy!"  
  
"Just keep the jet steady... We'll end this game with a plain  
old missile! Loaded... Locked... DEPLOY!"  
  
A yellow missile darted from the TurboKat. On its side one  
could read 'From Razor with love'... The shot was a hit. The  
blast from the explosion caused another drone to crash down  
in a crazy spiral of fire and smoke.  
  
"BINGO! TWO FOR ONE!" - Razor congratulated himself - "Now to  
take care of the last one! I'll just give it a cement coffin!"  
- He started looking for the last big drone but he couldn't  
find it. - "Do you see it, T-Bone?"  
  
"Negative! And that's not good!" - T-Bone said. He knew  
perfectly what that meant - they were being hunted down and  
the drone could strike whenever and wherever it wanted. -  
"Can't you pick it on the radar?"  
  
"Negative, T-Bone!"  
  
"Crud! It must be using a cloaking system."  
  
"Switching to infrared visor" - Razor announced. Even so, he  
couldn't see the drone. His voice sounded tense - "This is  
not looking good to me, buddy! Where the heck is that drone?"  
  
They were circling above Megakat City's Municipal Park. To the  
left, were the twin skyscrapers of Megakat Trade Towers and far  
to the right, near Megakat Springs were the remains of Megakat  
Tower, destroyed by the giant ci-kat-a. A few yards ahead, they  
could see the building of Megakat's City Hall. From that point,  
a shower of bullets hurtled into the TurboKat's canopy, shattering  
it to a million pieces. The blast caught both kats off guard.  
  
"It was behind City Hall!" - T-Bone cried out. Even before  
T-Bone had said that, Razor was already aiming the cement  
launcher and firing some cement slugs. The slugs caught the  
drone, making it visible but were not enough to stop it.  
  
"T-Bone, it's coming from your left!" - Razor warned T-bone,  
but to no avail. The drone was already firing another blast  
of bullets at the jet. One of them found its target, punching  
the left side of T-Bone's chest. The bullet broke a rib and  
perforated through part of T-Bone's left lung, stopping just  
inches from his heart.  
  
The pain was intense, like a sword ripping through his lungs.  
His eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed to thin slits  
in pain. With a grimace of pain on his face, he felt a shiver  
and sighed on the sly, never growling, moaning, or screaming...  
and he never told Razor what just happened.  
  
Another blast... and another... and another yet. They were  
sitting ducks with T-Bone out of commission. - "Gotta... put...  
myself... together... Razor... must have... the jet steady..." -  
T-Bone thought. Shivering with pain, teeth gritted, he tried to  
level the jet.  
  
"Hold her still, buddy! I got that darn drone right in my sights!"  
- Razor asked, ignoring his partner's condition. T-Bone did so.  
The cement launcher was in motion. The gust of cement slugs was  
simultaneous with another blast of bullets. Both gusts met their  
targets. The drone was literally covered by cement, plummeting  
down to the ground. However, its bullets destroyed the TurboKat's  
stabilizers and the jet was completely out of control.  
  
"CRUD!" - T-Bone said, trying to ignore the pain that was  
overcoming him. - "That thing must have hit the stabilizer  
cables. I... can't... control... her..."  
  
The jet was hurtling toward Megakat's City Hall, losing altitude  
as it raced forward.  
  
"C 'mon, buddy! - Razor yelled. - "We gotta bail or we're  
all goners!"  
  
"I may be dead anyway, Jake" - T-Bone muttered, not to his partner  
but to his friend. - "I can't let Dark Kat get both of us killed!  
GET OUTTA HERE, BUDDY!" - T-Bone said, punching a button. The next  
second, Razor's seat was ejected from the TurboKat, along with him.  
  
"T-BONE! WHAT'RE YOU DOIN'?" - Razor shouted to his partner but he  
was already to far away, racing toward the building in front of him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jake, but you're more needed than me, buddy. I'm just  
your pilot and you can get more from where I came." - T-Bone  
thought to himself. He groped his chest - it hurt - and then  
peered at his fingers. They were streaked with a red and thick  
fluid. He then produced a photo from an inner pocket in his  
G-suit - "I just feel sorry for her... She's getting out  
tomorrow... She really kept her whiskers clean... I'm sorry,  
beautiful... I won't be waiting for you..."  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
"CHAAAAANCE!"  
  
The explosion was tremendous, lighting the entire city. Fragments  
of the jet flew in every direction. One of them met Razor's mask,  
cutting it and his face. It hurt a bit when the teardrop contacted  
the blood in the wound but Razor didn't pay attention. The pain  
inside him was far more intense than that, more intense then any  
other pain he had ever felt in his life.  
  
"CHAAAAAAAAANCE!" - He wasn't calling for his partner. He wasn't  
calling for T-Bone. He was calling for his friend, for his best  
friend... almost his brother...  
  
"Chance... Why?" - Tears dropped from his eyes. - "WHY?" -  
He wiped his eyes with the back of his left paw and activated  
the seat's thrusters. That couldn't be true! T-Bone had to eject  
himself before the jet crashed! He just didn't see him. It  
couldn't be true. It couldn't! He arrived at the ruined building.  
He only saw the immense hole the jet made in the wall, which was  
on fire. He tried to catch a glimpse of the interior but  
couldn't see much. He then landed his seat and swiftly inspected  
the wreckage of the jet. There was nothing there and the remains  
of the jet were partially melted. Even if T-Bone survived the  
crash he couldn't have survived the flames. Razor felt a wave  
of agony overwhelming him. He couldn't find his friend! He was  
nowhere to be found!  
  
"Chance..." - he said softly. Tears started rolling from his eyes  
again. The sound of a siren threw him back to reality. The  
Enforcers were coming, and so were the firekats with their red  
cranes. Razor activated the jets in his backpack and sadly flew  
towards the salvage yard and the underground hangar...  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
"This is Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News, reporting live from Megakat's  
City Hall, where the SWAT Kats' jet just crashed minutes ago.  
We'll try to speak with Comdr. Feral. Commander, are there any  
survivors?"  
  
"So far we haven't found any corpses but there are reasons to  
presume that at least one of those outlawed vigilantes has  
survived. Searches are continuing. Thank you."  
  
"But, Comdr. Feral..."  
  
"No further comments, please."  
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
Razor reached the perimeter of the salvage yard. Pressing a  
button in his glovatrix, he opened the hangar's tunnel door,  
flying inside. When he reached the vast room, his heart felt  
just like the hangar: empty. Razor was used to losing the  
TurboKat - it happened all the time! And, all the time he had to  
rebuild it. But this time he had lost something far more important  
than a jet... He had lost his best friend. Taking off his G-suit  
and quickly putting on his mechanics overalls, Jake raced up to  
their living room. He had a crazy idea! Maybe Chance *did* bail  
out of the jet in time to save his tail! Maybe he was already  
upstairs, sitting on the couch with a can of milk, watching  
'Scaredy Kat.'  
  
"Chance..." - Jake stopped at the door. The room was deserted.  
- "Crud! Who am I foolin'? Chance is *dead*! He *didn't* eject  
from the TurboKat! He *died* in that crash! And it's all  
*my* fault!"  
  
Jake sank onto the sofa and covered his eyes with his paws.  
He remained that way the entire night...  
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Finally I'm getting out of here!" - a female voice with a strong  
accent said - "I can't wait until tomorrow! He will be here...  
waiting for me... And then, no more crime... ever..."  
  
"DINNER" - bellowed a guard. The cells' doors opened and the  
imprisoned she-kats stepped out.  
  
"I can already taste the sweet taste of freedom! And it shall  
taste even better when I share it with my 'treacherous tom-kat'..."  
  
The dinner was a sour paste but, even so, it felt good to her.  
The thought of freedom made her feel like a kitten. She nearly  
sang as she returned to her cell for her last night in jail. She  
couldn't know it was going to be the worst night of all...  
  
"You know what happened?" - a guard asked another.  
  
"Yeah! Impressive, ain't it? Such a good pilot!"  
  
"I wonder why he didn't eject?"  
  
"Beats me! But I think Comdr. Feral must be happy now! He wanted  
so much to get his paws on those vigilantes."  
  
That comment straightened her ears. She jumped to the cell's bars.  
  
"What are you talking about?" - she asked tensely, not really  
wanting to know the answer.  
  
"Whoa! Easy, beauty!"  
  
"Please! Answer me!"  
  
"And just what do *I* get in return, sweetie?"  
  
"You won't be shredded apart by me!"- She hissed, showing  
her claws.  
  
"Whoa! Easy, I said, beautiful! OK, we're talking about  
the SWAT Kats, honey! Satisfied?"  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"Oh, I forgot - *you*, prisoners, don't know what's happening  
outside..." - the guard teased her.  
  
"You're making me loose my temper!"  
  
"Cut that out, will you?" - the other guard intervened.  
- "She just wants to know what happened! It's the SWAT Kats.  
They had an accident. Their jet crashed and apparently only  
one survived."  
  
"WHO?" - she cried.  
  
"Heck, I think they called him... What was that name again?"  
  
"T-Bone." - The other guard said. - "His partner used to  
call him T-Bone."  
  
She felt like she had been stabbed in her back. She backed away  
from the bars and sank onto the filthy mattress.  
  
"Are you okay?" - one of the guards asked.  
  
"Ah, leave her alone!" - the other guard said. - "You're too  
gentle with these creeps, ya know? Hope she chokes on a  
hairball!"  
  
She lay there in shock for a few minutes. First, she didn't  
believe the guard. He was just teasing her, she thought. But  
then again, he couldn't do that once only *she* knew that  
T-Bone and Chance Furlong were the same kat. Then the guard  
*must* have told her the truth! Chance was *dead*! And even  
if he wasn't, knowing nothing of his whereabouts felt just  
the same! As the truth slowly started to strike her, heavy  
tears rolled off her eyes.  
  
"T-BONE, YOU TREACHEROUS TOM-KAT!" - she bellowed in fury.  
- "How could you do this to me? How could you die on me?  
What about our love? What about our vows? What about *me*?"  
  
She cried all night until she fell asleep, exhausted.  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
The first morning rays of sunlight began to invade the  
living room of the garage in the salvage yard. Jake was  
still in the same position as the day before. And, he  
didn't intend to move so soon. The psychological pain  
was still severe. A sound made his hears straighten up.  
It was a truck's brakes. Burke and Murray. Of all kats,  
he had to deal with them now, in this time of pain for him.  
He lifted himself from the sofa and headed for the garage  
entrance. The truck was unloading a pile of military  
wreckage. In it, he recognized pieces of the TurboKat,  
including his seat. That made his blood boil.  
  
"Hey, 'pilot'! Forget to shave this morning?" - Jake  
ignored that comment. - "Recognize this wreckage here?"  
- Burke asked him, in a clear attempt tot make Jake loose  
his temper. Jake held on.  
  
"I do! It's the SWAT Kats' jet" - he answered, fists clenched.  
  
"WROOOOONG!" - Murray teased - "It's the SWAT Kats' jet  
wreckage!" - And started laughing at Jake's face. Jake  
clamped his fists tighter, his claws piercing through his  
fur and skin.  
  
"Sign here!" - Jake did so. - "Here's your copy." - Burke  
handed a paper to Jake. He grabbed the paper, streaking it  
with his blood. Both kats jumped onto their truck. Once  
inside, Murray asked Jake where the 'hotshot' was. This  
took Jake to the brink of his control. Still, he answered  
Murray.  
  
"Chance is... sick... with a cold... A bad one..."  
  
"Too bad for him! Well, he'd better get well soon! Feral  
doesn't want any lazy kats in the salvage yard!" - he said,  
starting his truck. Seconds later, they were gone.  
  
"Crud, that was tough..." - Jake said, releasing the grip  
on his own fists. His paws were nearly covered with his blood.  
- "Gotta control myself."  
  
He returned to the living room and sank once more in the  
couch, staring at his paws. The wounds weren't severe.  
- "This is nothing compared to what happened to Chance..."  
- Then, he just covered his eyes with his paws again, trying  
to set his thoughts in order.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
"Jake?" - a female voice with a strong accent called a few  
hours later. He looked at the garage's entrance. There was  
a slim female figure in there, although her details were  
obscured because of the light from outside. Even so, he  
recognized her voice. His mind flew back a few years before,  
inside a flying aircraft carrier, when T-Bone seemed to have  
passed to their enemy's side. He hadn't forgotten what she said  
to him when he asked T-Bone what was going on: "You're a clever  
kat... You'll figure it out!" She was the commander of the ship.  
She terrorized Megakat City with that vertigo beam of hers,  
almost forcing a commercial jet to crash. He remembered her,  
alright.  
  
"Turmoil!" - he muttered. His muscles tensed. He was prepared  
for the fight.  
  
"So, you still remember me. Should I be flattered?" - she said,  
walking into the garage. Only then, the facts struck Jake.  
  
"How do you know who I am? We've never been introduced  
before?" - he said. She seemed to be upset with that question.  
  
"Cut that out, Jake 'Razor' Clawson!" - she said, catching  
Jake off guard. She knew he and Razor were the same kat!  
Jake couldn't help wondering how.  
  
"Yes, I know you and Chance are the SWAT Kats, Jake!"  
  
"Were..." - Jake clamped his mouth with his paws. Seeing he  
could no longer deny the truth, he sighed. - "OK, Turmoil,  
you win. Yes, we were the SWAT Kats..." - Jake's eyes turned  
to the ground, his shoulders lowered, his muscles relaxed.  
  
She gave Jake a warm smile and caressed his chin.  
  
"I am not your enemy anymore, Jake..." - she said softly.  
- In fact, I was going to be Chance's wife."  
  
That comment had the taste of a punch in Jake's stomach.  
- "Chance's wife? What the hell are you talking about?"  
- He managed to ask Turmoil. She looked amused at Jake's  
reaction.  
  
"Didn't Chance tell you? We were planning to get married  
in a few months." - Another 'blow' to Jake's stomach.  
  
"We better sit down! You got a lot of explaining to  
do, Turmoil!" - Jake said, stepping into the kitchen.  
- "Want something to drink?"  
  
"A milk cream liqueur would be divine!"  
  
"Sorry. Only got canned milk!"  
  
"I suppose it'll have to do, then!" - Turmoil said,  
releasing a brief and soft sigh. - "Oh, by the way, Jake,  
you should wash your face! It's covered with dry blood!  
And perhaps shave yourself!"  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
With a can of milk in her paws, Turmoil started talking.  
- "Chance and I have been meeting for quite a long time, now.  
Actually, we started our romance aboard my ship. At first,  
he only wrote letters to me. I tore them all apart after  
reading them. Until I found myself really in love with him.  
I started answering his letters. I knew he couldn't visit  
me, at least as a SWAT Kat! He would be arrested the moment  
he put claws in that prison. As I had a lot of spare time  
there, I began studying the Enforcers, their organization,  
their purposes, their personnel. Until one day I came  
across a picture of you and Chance while you still were  
in the Enforcers. Something grabbed my attention the  
same second I looked at that picture. Chance's arms.  
They had the same pattern as T-Bone's. That was the first  
clue. The color of Chance's fur was the same. The stature  
of his body was the same. And, above all, the mocking grin  
on his muzzle was the same. I thought that couldn't be  
just coincidence. When I answered his last letter, I  
called him Chance 'T-Bone' Furlong. The next day he came  
to visit me. I was right. T-Bone was Chance Furlong. And  
then I realized that I loved Chance, not his alter ego  
T-Bone. We started meeting on a regular basis. Sometimes  
our meetings got quite close and personal, if you know  
what I mean. So, a few months ago, we made our vows and  
we were planning to get married at the end of the year.  
But now..." - A tear rolled down her face.   
  
Jake swept it off with his thumb.  
  
"And now he's gone..." - Jake said mournfully. - "And  
it's all my fault!"  
  
"Why do you say that, Jake?"  
  
"Because if I didn't had that stupid idea..." - he  
couldn't go on. He was fighting to control his emotions.  
Turmoil gave him time to put himself together and then  
asked what was that stupid idea of Jake's. - "When we  
were dumped out of the Enforcers, we came to work here  
to pay for the damages in the new Enforcers' building.  
Chance was mad with Feral. He said we were pilots, not  
junk kats. Then I saw all that military salvage and  
had the idea of building our own jet so we could get  
back in the air and fight Dark Kat and all the criminal  
scum of Megakat City. He was still hot with Feral and  
accepted it without ever questioning me. If I hadn't  
had that stupid idea, Chance would be here now..."  
- A new wave of commotion overwhelmed Jake.  
  
"That's not your fault, Jake!" - Turmoil said. - "I  
know nobody knew Chance like you, but believe me! If  
Chance couldn't fly, then he would give no value to  
his life! He would prefer to die than be stuck on the  
ground. And, you know that!"  
  
"Yeah, I know that! He would never want to eject when  
something would go wrong with the TurboKat. He somehow  
managed to always defy the laws of gravity and keep the  
fighter flying long enough to save our tails... But he  
*could* have ejected from the jet... He *had* time...  
- Jake sighed loudly - But he didn't want to leave the  
TurboKat..."  
  
"He must love that jet..." - Turmoil said, putting the  
verb in the present tense. Jake noted her efforts to cheer  
him up, but it was hopeless.  
  
"Chance is dead, Turmoil. Nothing you or I may say will  
bring him back. I'll just have to accept it, but, for now...  
I just want to 'enjoy' my pain... That's just how I am..."  
  
"Fine with me! I've lost my partner too, once!" - she said,  
looking into the infinite.  
  
"You did?" - Jake turned his gaze to her. That she-kat  
never ceased to surprise him.  
  
"Yes. I was a good she-kat in my days, when I was involved  
in a paramilitary squad, just like the Megakat City Enforcers.  
We were called 'Gurkats'. I was a fighter pilot, just like  
Chance. I was chasing Dark Kat..."  
  
"Whoa! Are you talking about the same Dark Kat? I mean,  
the Dark Kat I know?" - Jake interrupted her.  
  
"The very same one. He's not from Megakat City. And this  
isn't the first city he has terrorized, either! However,  
he *has* concentrated all his efforts on destroying  
Megakat City! Anyway, I was chasing him. My partner  
already had his missiles locked on Dark Kat's aircraft."  
  
"Tell me no more." - Jake interrupted her again - "Let  
me guess. He fired his rear blaster guns at you, hitting  
your wing and sending you down in a spiral."  
  
"He did just that! How did you Know?" - she asked, her  
eyes intensely focusing on Jake's.  
  
"Easy, Turmoil. He just did the same thing to us, a few  
months ago. Luckily, Chance managed to level the jet but  
I was out like a blown engine..."  
  
"His flying was magnificent! I have never seen any pilot  
who could outfly him. He had a feeling for that."  
- Turmoil said, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. Then,  
her gaze shifted, acquiring a dull and sour expression  
- "But he managed to save both of you. I couldn't. The  
plane crashed in a rocky desert. My partner couldn't  
resist his injuries and bled to death..." - a tear  
danced in her left eye but never did slid down - Well,  
that's the story. I was blamed both for destroying the  
fighter *and* allowing my partner to die. I was dumped  
out of the Gurkats after spending some time in solitary  
confinement. Then, I gathered some she-kats, trained them,  
and built my ship. I decided to test my strength on Megakat  
City before attacking the Gurkats' Headquarters but I ended  
up defeated and in another prison..." - she gave a final  
sigh, releasing all the air in her lungs.   
  
A few heavy seconds passed before Jake replied to her.  
  
"So...You never told me why you came here, anyway..."  
  
"I thought we could join our grief... After all, we must  
be the two kats that cared the most about Chance..."  
  
"Aaaand..." - Jake added, prolonging the word as if he  
expected something else from Turmoil.  
  
"I can already see that Chance couldn't hide anything  
from you, could he?" - she asked rhetorically. She drew  
a deep breath and let all the air out before starting.  
- "Well, I'm out of jail and I guessed nobody would want  
to give me a paw, so..."  
  
"You want to work here?" - Jake asked, staring at her  
with a surprised gaze on his face.  
  
"That crossed my mind..." - she said looking to the  
ground, her voice no louder than a whisper.   
  
Jake's surprise shifted quickly into sympathy for her.   
Besides, he was a little confused how Turmoil could be so   
strong and confident and yet so feminine. He couldn't refuse   
her unspoken request. However, before he could say something,   
Turmoil raised herself from the couch and took two steps   
toward the garage door before being stopped by Jake's hand tugging   
her right arm softly.  
  
"Let me go, Jake. That was a stupid idea!" - teardrops  
danced in her eyes but refused to obey gravity. - "I guess  
I just wanted Chance back... at least as a memory..."  
- She closed her eyelids and the tears dropped freely,  
racing down her cheeks.   
  
Jake looked directly at her. Even with her eyes closed, she could   
feel Jake's intense gaze. She opened her humid eyes and her mouth to   
say something but Jake's forefinger gently pressed  
immediately her lips, silencing her.  
  
"You're hired." - Jake purred. - "Where do you think  
you're going? We gotta lotta salvage to set in order  
out there!" -   
  
Turmoil's eyes widened in surprise. She  
embraced Jake in a tight hug, his cheeks turning red  
under his orange fur.  
  
"Thank you, Jake! Well, you're right!" - she said, wiping  
her tears away with her sleeves. - "We got a lot to do!"  
------------------------------------------------------------  
"What a collision... Nobody could've survived that!" - said  
an Enforcer, still searching in the blocks around City  
Hall for any signs of the corpses of the two SWAT Kats. - "Maybe we  
should give up the searches!"  
  
"*No one* is giving up *anything*, Sergeant!" - a harsh  
female voice rasped through the alley. - "We'll keep  
lookin' till we find something!"  
  
"Yes, Lieutenant Feral!" - responded the other enforcer,  
noticing that Felina's will was unshakable. She too  
believed that at least one, if not both, SWAT Kats  
survived the crash. However, not finding any clue  
on either Razor's or T-Bone's whereabouts was beginning  
to seep fear in her mind... fear that maybe...  
just maybe... they hadn't survived the collision...  
She swept that thought away with a jerk of her head,  
her dark hair swinging briefly against her cheeks.  
  
"C'mon, guys!" - she thought - "Where *are* you two?"  
  
She moved out of the alley where she and the  
other Enforcer stood, walking to another alley a few  
blocks away, in a search that was on for nearly  
twenty-four hours. Still, despite all the Enforcers'  
efforts, the SWAT Kats just seemed to have vanished  
into thin air.  
---------------------------------------------------------  
The night was approaching, spreading her dark cloak  
over the salvage yard. Turmoil and Jake worked all  
the afternoon and had managed to set the pile of  
debris Burke and Murray left at their 'front step'  
in order. They even managed to get out most  
of the wreckage Jake recognized as that of the  
TurboKat and place it in a separate pile. Jake's  
eyes saddened as he saw what was left of the powerful  
fighter jet.  
  
"It doesn't even look like a jet..." - he sighed.  
Although he was accustomed to repairing and even rebuilding  
the TurboKat, it didn't mean it wasn't painful to see  
such a mighty jet torn apart.   
  
Turmoil patted Jake's right shoulder softly. As a pilot,   
she too felt her heart shrink at the sight of the partially melted  
twisted black monstrosity in front of her. Her next  
question was the only one a pilot could ask a mechanic.  
  
"Can you fix it?"  
  
"Sure... But what for? With Chance dead, the SWAT Kats  
are history... Soon, we'll be no more than campfire  
stories until we sink into oblivion..." - Jake said,  
his eyes boring holes in the ground.   
  
That statement caught Turmoil a bit off guard.  
  
"You don't mean..." - Turmoil started, half recovered  
from the shock.  
  
"What did you expect? I can fly the TurboKat, of  
course. But I don't have Chance's skills. I wouldn't  
even dream of those daredevil flights that he did  
all the time! I'm a weapons officer, not a fighter  
pilot!"  
  
"So, you need a pilot. What's the big deal?" - she  
asked, only half-innocently.  
  
"What's the big deal?" - Jake replied in disbelief.  
- "What's the big deal? Pilots like Chance don't pour  
down from the sky, you know, Turmoil?"  
  
"I know that! But you have a pilot right in front  
of you, don't you?" - she said, pointing to  
herself.   
  
Jake looked to her, his eyes narrowing as he felt betrayed by Turmoil.  
  
"So that's what you wanted!" - he hissed in fury  
- "You wanted the TurboKat for your won evil purposes!  
That's your miserable scheme! You don't give a crud  
about Chance! Maybe you're even joyful that he's dead!"  
  
Turmoil lifted her right paw and smacked it against  
Jake's right cheek. The tomkat's face turned bright  
red under his orange fur and warmed as the blood  
vessels under his skin filled with the vital fluid.  
His expression held no anger, just surprise.  
Turmoil's face, however, had an angry, insulted  
expression. Gradually, she lowered her paw and began  
to whimper. Then, she turned her face away from  
Jake's, sinking it in her paws and crying loud.   
  
Jake touched his cheek. Crud, that *was* a blow! Then he  
looked at her, crying desperately in front of him.  
- "She was telling the truth..." - he thought - "She  
really *was* telling the truth! She *did* love Chance!  
And I insulted her feelings for him... CRUD... Won't I  
*ever* do something right with she-kats?" - Jake walked  
to her and softly laid a paw on her left shoulder  
- "Turmoil, I... I'm... I'm sorry! I.... I..." - Words  
couldn't come out. - "I was a fool... was blind because  
of the TurboKat... Just hope you can forgive me..."  
  
"You... insulted... my purest feelings... about  
Chance..." - she spoke, her voice ragged - "You can  
insult me... You can say whatever you want about me..."  
- her voice's tone rising with each word, ending in  
almost a roar - "...BUT DON'T QUESTION MY FEELINGS FOR  
CHANCE!"  
  
Jake dropped his head to his chest, his eyes staring at  
the ground. After a few seconds in aching silence, he  
murmured sheepishly to Turmoil - "I'm sorry, Turmoil...  
I... Crud..."  
  
"Let's just eat something and then we hit the bed.  
It's been a draining day for both of us... Maybe  
tomorrow we can see things a little clearer." - she  
said, almost an order.   
  
Jake nodded. Maybe tomorrow things would look brighter.  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
The bulky kat was staring at the bubbling lava of the pit  
in front of him. Well hidden inside the volcano in Megakat  
National Park, Dark Kat was trying to set his thoughts in  
order. Those *blasted* SWAT Kats nearly got him... However,  
his drones had managed to get one of them killed. Such joy!  
He swore he would finish the remaining SWAT Kat. But he  
would have a little fun first. He would give the other  
SWAT Kat part of the pain they had given *him* all those  
years... He also managed to steal what he needed from the  
Neurology section of Megakat Biochemical Labs. The flask  
of pale blue-gray serum he was now holding in his huge  
paws was the key... *His* key to complete global  
domination... His devilish grin widened with the thought...  
Dark Kat lifted from his shiny dark obsidian 'throne' and  
crossed the bridge of basalt over the lava pit. He entered  
into another room - another lava tube.   
  
The characteristic whirring of machinery filled the air in   
the room. Seated in front of a computer console stood a figure   
dressed in a blue coat. He didn't run his fingers over the keyboard,  
rather allowing the blue electricity bolts flickering off  
his fingertips to do that job.  
  
"Hard Drive!" - Dark Kat's deep voice echoed in the lava  
walls.   
  
The tan-furred tomkat spun in his chair, facing the  
purple visage that was calling him. His dark yellow eyes  
remained unexpressive as the huge bulk of the devilish kat  
approached him.   
  
Dark Kat laid a paw on Hard Drive's shoulder. His expression   
remained meaningless. - "Your drones proved worthy, after all!   
I can say I owe my freedom to them. Of course, this means   
nothing to you, once you're not Hard Drive anymore!" - Dark   
Kat allowed himself a slight chuckle as he backed away from   
Hard Drive.  
He spun again on his seat and resumed whatever he was  
doing previously.   
  
- "As a matter of fact, you're not even a *kat* anymore! You're   
a puppet... A puppet that *I* control! But don't worry, Hard   
Drive... Soon, there'll be more like you... All katkind will   
join you... as my obedient slaves!" - The purple kat broke   
into a devilish laughter that reverberated in the humid walls  
of the lava tubes inside the entire volcano.  
--------------------------------------------------------------  
Jake slipped himself out of the couch as the first morning  
light invaded the garage's living room. He and Turmoil  
hadn't spoke to each other since last night.   
  
He had silently offered their bedroom to her by settling   
on the couch. She had understood his silent offer and after   
a few seconds of hesitation decided to accept it.   
  
After taking a quick cold shower and brushing his fangs, he   
decided to go check on her. Sliding the door just a bit open,   
he saw her lying on Chance's bed. - "She's desperately trying  
to bring him back... even just as a memory..." - Jake  
thought sadly. He closed the door as quietly as he could.  
  
He made some coffee and sat on a chair in their tiny  
kitchen, reading the morning paper. Jake threw it aside  
a few minutes after, noticing that he couldn't focus  
on his reading. He was thinking about Turmoil's words  
last evening. - "'So you need a pilot!' she said...  
She's right about one thing! The SWAT Kats swore to  
protect Megakat City. With Chance dead, there are no  
SWAT Kats... But she's a pilot... And Megakat City needs  
the SWAT Kats... If I had died and Chance knew a good  
weapons officer, he'd certainly accept him... For Megakat  
City needs the SWAT Kats... Then, why do I feel like I'm  
betraying Chance? Crud, she's even Chance's fiancée.  
He chose her, he trusted her... Crud, but this feeling...  
'We're separated for only one minute and you already  
have a new partner?' he said once... But Dark Kat...  
Dr. Viper... The PastMaster... The Metallikats...  
Hard Drive... The Enforcers would never be able to  
stop them..."  
  
Jake continued, sunk in his thoughts, for a couple of hours  
until Turmoil joined him at the table.   
  
- "Good morning, Jake. Slept well?" - she said, grinning at him. She  
seemed to have forgiven him.  
  
"'Morning! Yeah, it wasn't too bad." -   
  
Neither of them spoke while Turmoil finished her breakfast.   
  
Then, Jake started. - "I have a proposition for you, Turmoil." - he  
said, giving her his earnest face.  
  
"I'm listening..."  
  
"What you said last night. That I needed a pilot. You're  
right. You're skilled enough to match Chance. So, here's  
my proposition: do you want to be a SWAT Kat?"  
  
Jake's words rendered her stunned. She never thought of  
it that way. Becoming a SWAT Kat. She thought about  
substituting Chance as the TurboKat's pilot but never  
about becoming a SWAT Kat. Obviously, replacing Chance  
meant exactly that.  
  
"Well, what do you say?" - Jake asked her, noticing her  
stunned face.  
  
"I... I'll..." - she gasped. Regaining the strength of  
her voice, she stated out loud, so there would be no room  
for doubt - "I'll do it! I'll become a SWAT Kat!"  
  
"Good. Now let's get going." - Jake said, leaving the table.  
  
"To where?"  
  
"Just follow me." - Jake responded.   
  
They headed down to the underground hangar. Instead of the TurboKat,   
just a pile of wreckage stood amidst the vast room. Lined against  
the walls, were all kind of electronic machinery, many of  
them unrecognizable to Turmoil, who was staring at the  
room in astonishment. A few minutes had passed before she  
was able to speak again.  
  
"You have an underground hangar? I thought you had the  
TurboKat camouflaged among the dump outside. Did you  
built it yourselves?"  
  
"Actually, I don't know the story of this place! We just  
found it that way! It must've been used as an underground  
military base sometime back in history. Apparently, this  
place was converted to a salvage yard and everybody forgot  
what was underneath it! Think, even Feral doesn't know about  
it either! Well, we couldn't be more thankful to the Holy  
Kats... We had the means to build our own jet and the means  
to hide it safely. What more could we ask for?" - Jake said,  
his eyes sparkling.   
  
Turmoil seemed impressed.  
  
"That fool... Commander Feral didn't dump you two out of the  
Enforcers... He gave you and the city a tremendous gift!"  
- she chuckled, trying to imagine Feral's face if he knew  
what he had done.  
  
"Yeah, well... I think he'd cough up a hairball if he ever  
knew!" -   
  
Both kats started laughing out loud after Jake's  
comment, the first time they laughed in nearly two days.  
  
- "Well, let's get down to more... trivial matters. You'll  
need a G-suit... and I don't think any of ours will fit you!"  
  
"That is not a problem. I'll just tear some of them apart  
and then mend them. Helmet is not a problem either - I still  
have my old Gurkat helmet." - she answered, waving a paw as  
she talked.  
  
"With some modifications, it may serve you well. I see you  
have an answer for everything, Turmoil. Let's see if you  
have one for this request." - Jake said, giving her a shade  
of a mocking grin.  
  
"I'm listening." - she stated, proudly.  
  
"I can't call you Turmoil while we're on a mission!  
Everybody knows you by your nickname so you have to come  
out with another one."  
  
"No problem. As you said, Turmoil is just a nickname. My  
real name is Katanya Harebrown. My partner used to joke  
about my first name. He was constantly calling me Katana."  
  
"Katana" - Jake replied, thoughtfully - "I like it! It  
matches my nickname, Razor!"  
  
"Then, Katana shall be! Put it here, partner!" - she extended  
her paw to Jake, which he grabbed, shaking paws as if to  
settle the deal.  
  
"The Radical Squadron is up again and ready to kick some  
gruesome tails!" - Jake said, not without a slight feeling   
that he was betraying Chance.  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
Comdr. Feral sat in the huge chair behind his immense desk  
in his office, tossing the papers he just received. His head  
was swirling. Why did Felina do that? He felt betrayed by his  
own niece! She could never have done what she did, disobeying  
his personal orders. And *him*! Why had it had to be *him*? What was  
*he* doing there, with her? The pencil in his left paw became  
two as he clamped it tighter with a light cracking sound.  
He raised himself from his chair and walked to the window  
at his left, where he could see part of Megakat City, the  
part where the salvage yard was located. He groped inside  
his heavy coat and took his official enforcer blaster off  
its shoulder holster. He observed the gun. It would be so  
easy. Just one shot and it would all be over. Yes. Homicide  
was beginning to be a very attractive idea to Comdr. Feral.  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
Midnight. In the ruins of his tower, near the graveyard, the  
PastMaster surveyed Megakat City with his eye. "So shiny!"  
- he grumbled - "Even at night, with on moon, this tasteless  
city shimmers in the dark! How I long for my Dark Ages... And  
my beloved Callista..." - the sorcerer sighed loudly, closing  
his eye.   
  
His mind flew back in time, back to the Dark Ages.  
He saw Callista, splendid in the moonlight, her golden hair  
reflecting the pale light as it spread over each thin, blond  
string.   
  
He was so sunken in his memories he didn't notice the  
chit-chattering of Dark Kat's creeplings. In less than a minute,  
they had the PastMaster surrounded. He finally opened his eye  
when a creepling dislocated a loose brick. Blinking in surprise,  
the old sorcerer stood rapidly on his feet, brandishing his  
magic watch at the incoming gargoyle-like little creatures.  
  
"What is this? Dark Kat is attacking *me*? Did he go crazy?  
Well, this outrage will be over very soon!" - the PastMaster  
aimed his watch at the nearest creepling and shot a bright  
purple beam. The creature was sent backward trough the air  
till it contacted with the rough stony wall behind. Purple  
blood dripped from its snout as he lied on the floor, limply.  
Another five creeplings had the same fate before two of them  
finally reached the PastMaster, crawling up his cloak onto  
his hood. - "What the..." - he started but a sting in the  
back of his neck clipped the words off his mouth. The hooded  
figure shivered a bit, falling to his knees as he dropped his  
watch. Moments after, his vision became black in the corners  
of his eye. In a few minutes, the skeletal sorcerer's world  
turned jet-black as he collapsed. The creeplings grabbed him  
by his cape, watch hanging freely from the clip of his belt,  
and took him off his tower, towards Megakat National Park.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
"If *any* kat's gonna ace our little obstacle course, it's gonna  
be *me*!" - Jake said, climbing up a pile of metallic junk.  
  
"We'll see 'bout that, pal!" - Chance answered him, starting  
to climb up the same pile.   
  
Jake reached the top and launched himself to grab a rope hanging   
from a crane. Swinging above the deep pit filled with water below,   
Jake released the rope and landed neatly on the other side, darting   
for the next pile of metallic litter.   
  
Chance was just behind him, swinging his powerfully built body over   
the water pit. But, something happened. The rope snapped and Chance   
dropped into the pit. He flailed the water in order to get back to   
the surface, gasping for air. - "Jake... Gi... Gimme a paw... Jake...  
Pal..."  
  
"Nice try, buddy, but *that* old trick's not goin' to slow  
*me* down!" - Jake grabbed a pole and thrust himself over the  
last pile of metallic dump.   
  
Chance was still thrashing in the water, fighting to keep his head above   
the liquid.  
  
"Jake...Help... Please... Jake... Help me..." - Chance  
gasped.   
  
Jake was running at full speed towards the finish line.  
  
"Ha! Looks like the *best* kat's gonna win!" - he stopped  
when he broke the ribbon marking the finish line. He then  
heard Chance's pleas for help fading away. - "CRUD! I don't  
think he's foolin' around! CHANCE! HOLD ON! -   
  
Jake made his way over the pile of metallic waste. From its   
top he could see the pit he had dug a few weeks before. The   
water was still now, except for a few ring-like waves rolling   
towards the margin. He couldn't see Chance anymore. - "CHANCE!  
WHERE ARE YOU? Oh, *crud*!" -   
  
He hurried down the pile, a tight knot forming in his stomach.   
Approaching the water-filled pit, he plunged into it. He felt   
embraced by coldness as he entered the water. He opened his   
eyes, but the muddy liquid was burning them. He hadn't taken much  
air, so he propelled himself to the surface to get a deep  
breath. He dove again, forcing his eyes to open despite the  
burning feeling. He saw something! Chance! He was sinking  
limply! He swam desperately toward his friend, grabbing him  
under his shoulder.   
  
Swimming with only one arm, Jake dragged Chance to 'shore'. He   
laid his friend's limp body on the ground and applied CPR for   
several minutes. - "C'mon, buddy! Speak to me! Chance! Buddy! Say   
something! Crud! This ain't workin'." - he leaned over his friend's   
mouth and blew some air into him.   
  
Something was wrong. Chance's chest wasn't lifting! He tried it again   
but Chance's chest still refused to lift. Jake knew that was a bad sign...   
A very bad one... It meant his airways were blocked... Maybe clogged   
with water.  
  
Fifteen minutes had passed. Despite CPR and mouth to mouth  
respiration, Chance was losing his colors. He was now  
cyanotic and getting cold already. Jake knew too much time   
had passed since Chance's brain had received oxygen for  
the last time. His brain was dead. His heart long since  
stopped.   
  
Jake couldn't believe it! Chance died in his paws!  
He let Chance die! No! No! Not again! NOT AGAIN!  
  
"NO!" - Jake sat up in the couch. His body was shivering and  
covered in sweat, his eyes unfocused.   
  
Turmoil came from their bedroom, startled by Jake's scream.  
  
"Are you okay, Jake?" - she asked him softly, passing her  
right arm over both his shoulders. - "Nightmare? About Chance?  
Don't think of it anymore, Jake. It's not good for you!" - She  
gave him a light kiss in his forehead, reassuring him.  
  
"I... I'm okay now." - he muttered, lying back again.   
  
Turmoil headed for her bed, yawning as she walked.   
  
- Turmoil!" - Jake called her, softly, lifting his torso a bit.   
  
She turned around to see him from the living room door.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks..." - he smiled slightly.  
  
She shrugged - "Sleep well." - she said softly and left.  
  
Jake leaned again in the couch but didn't fell asleep. His  
mind was racing. How many times had he let T-Bone or even  
Chance nearly die on his paws? He couldn't remember but  
just that one was already unbearable for him. - Crud,  
Chance!" - he thought - "*I* tempted fate most times we  
went on a mission. The odds for dying were all *mine*!  
Why did it have to be you, buddy? I just can't understand  
that!" - A heavy teardrop rushed down his facial fur.  
  
Thinking about it, Jake didn't fell asleep that night.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Uncle! UNCLE, STOP THIS AT ONCE!" - Felina bellowed.   
  
Feral was trying to shoot.   
  
- "Forgive me, uncle!" - she said as she threw the huge kat over   
her shoulder.   
  
Feral knocked against the wall with tremendous force, falling to   
his knees. He had dropped his blaster and Felina dove for it,   
rolling on herself as she grabbed it tightly in her paws.   
- "FREEZE! Don't make me use it against you, uncle!" -   
  
Feral attempted to move toward her.   
  
- "I *mean* it, uncle!" -   
  
Seeing her cold eyes, Feral knew she *really* meant it. He dropped   
to his knees again, shaking his head.  
  
"What was I doing? He is helpless before me... Do I hate him  
so much that I'd kill him when he couldn't defend himself?" - Feral   
said, staring at the ground.   
  
Felina approached him and put her right arm over his shoulders.  
  
"It's all right now, uncle!" - she whispered.   
  
Feral got to his feet and stared at the limp body lying in a deep coma  
on the bed of his private infirmary.   
  
- "Can you tell me what's got into you,, uncle?" -   
  
Feral didn't answer her question. He got closer to the bed and touched the   
brawny right arm of the unconscious kat. Behind scars he saw it, a  
small mark, barely identifiable, just above the kat's elbow. The mark was   
similar in shape to a rounded claw.   
  
Feral took off his coat and rolled up his right sleeve, revealing a  
similar mark. He showed it to Felina and then pointed to the  
mark on the kat's limp arm. She raised her paw to her mouth,  
gasping.   
  
- "Are you..." - she couldn't say the word, so she  
replaced it for another - "...relatives?" -   
  
Feral looked at her niece, his eyes revealing grief and shame for what   
he intended to do minutes ago.  
  
"He's my son, Felina!" - he said.   
  
It felt like a punch in her stomach.   
  
- "And I tried to kill him..." -   
  
A few heavy minutes passed by. Felina was trying to digest that  
information. She finally asked her uncle how had he found  
out.   
  
- "It's a long, long story, Felina... Let's go. We should let him rest. I'll   
tell you everything in my office."  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
Inside Megakat National Park's volcano, Dark Kat watched  
as the PastMaster slowly returned to consciousness. He sat  
up on the basalt floor of the cave, blinking several times to  
adapt his eye to the light conditions.   
  
- "Welcome back, PastMaster." - Dark Kat's deep voice boomed   
across the room.  
  
The PastMaster stood in his feet as Dark Kat approached him,  
his expression meaningless.   
  
- "I have a few tasks for you, sorcerer. I think you will fulfill   
them all successfully!"  
  
"I will do as I am commanded." - the PastMaster answered.  
  
Dark Kat's chuckle became a roar of laughter that  
reverberated all around the volcano.  
  
"Three down, several others to go! Very well, sorcerer, I  
want you to create a time vortex and travel in it back in  
time, exactly four years ago, when the planet was nearly  
drained of its water. The location is the space just  
outside the planet, inside a small battleship. I want you  
to bring me the creature that is inside that ship. PastMaster,  
I want you to bring me the space pirate called Mutilor!"  
  
"It shall be done as you order" - the PastMaster responded.  
Raising his watch he started chanting a spell. A few minutes  
after, a time vortex opened on top of the volcano. His small  
figure vanished and reappeared inside the vortex.  
------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Nice try, SWAT Kats, but you *missed*!" - an orange spotted  
four-armed alien said as he was preparing his next shot.  
- "Now watch as I destroy the ship *and your world*!"  
- Mutilor prepared himself to push the fire button when his  
ship was suddenly enveloped in a vortex.  
  
"What the..." - Razor gasped - "Isn't that one of the  
PastMaster's time portals?"  
  
"It is! But, what the heck's he doin' here?" - T-Bone asked.  
  
Inside Mutilor's ship, a skeletal paw grabbed him and pushed  
him for the vortex. In his attempts to free himself, he  
pressed the fire button. Seconds later, an explosion lit  
the jet-black sky, obfuscating the departure of the time  
vortex. Pieces of Mutilor's ship blasted in all directions,  
carving the TurboKat.  
  
"Great shot, buddy!" - T-Bone congratulated his partner.  
  
"Lousy shot! I'll be buffing out the dings for weeks!"  
  
"Where's the time portal?"  
  
"Maybe it wasn't a time portal at all! Maybe it was part  
of the explosion! Who knows?"  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
The time vortex faded as the PastMaster laid down the  
unconscious form of Mutilor. "What happened? Why is he  
unconscious?" - Dark Kat asked.  
  
"He fought back! I had to quiet him with one shot of my  
watch! But, he will regain his senses soon enough!" - the  
PastMaster responded.   
  
Dark Kat approached the huge orange-spotted form at his feet.   
In his paws was a syringe filled with a blue-gray serum.  
  
"Maybe it's better, anyway! This way I can inject the  
neurological serum in his system without altercations."  
- He stuck the needle in the back of Mutilor's neck,  
pressing the embolus till the end.   
  
Just as he withdrew the needle, Mutilor's body began to shiver.   
He jumped to his feet and roared a deafening loud sound. His   
mouth was salivating, his eyes glowed like torches. Then, he   
slumped to the ground, unconscious again.   
  
Dark Kat's eyes were wide open as he was crushed against the   
solidified lava wall of the room like his creeplings and the   
PastMaster. His heart was thumping in his chest. Hard Drive   
came running to see if everything was in order. The Metallikats  
came too.  
  
"Is everything okay, boss?" - Molly asked, aiming her  
cannon at Mutilor.  
  
"Yes, yes, my guards!" - Dark Kat reassured them  
- "Everything's alright now. Return to your posts."  
- he looked as Mac and Molly spun on their heels and  
left the room. - "It's incredible what a computer virus  
can do to machines... Hard Drive has *really* worked well!"  
- Dark Kat thought. He then turned his gaze to Mutilor,  
still lying on the basalt floor.   
  
The PastMaster hurried to him.  
  
"What was that all about, sire?"  
  
"He is an alien, PastMaster. His system may differ from  
ours in a variety of ways. What gives us lack of strength  
and causes us to swoon obviously gave him a rush of strength.   
Nothing but that. Let's wait for him to wake up. Meanwhile, I  
have other tasks for you."  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
Another sunny day in Megakat City. Jake was already  
having his breakfast when Turmoil stepped out of the  
bathroom.  
  
- "Like to wake up early, sureshot?"  
  
"Hey! Only Chance called me that! How do you know  
about it?"  
  
She shrugged. - "He told me. We were engaged, remember?"  
- she said, knocking softly on Jake's head.  
  
"Oh... Guess I'll never get used to *that* idea...  
I mean, I thought he liked Callie, he was always swooning  
about her..."  
  
"Funny. He told me *you* liked the Deputy Mayor. And, he  
could see she liked you too, so he stepped away." - she  
said as she poured some coffee in her cup. She peered at  
Jake and, even under his orange fur, she could see him  
blushing.  
  
"Was it *that* obvious?" - he muttered to himself.   
  
Even so, Turmoil heard it loud and clear. She smiled.   
They were *so* different! Chance was resolute and  
self-confident. Jake was cool-tempered and shy. Maybe  
that was the reason why they made such a good team,  
besides their own skills.   
  
- "Shall we work out a bit?" -   
  
His request caught her in the middle of her thoughts.  
  
"I'm sorry, I was in another world! What was that again,  
Jake?" -   
  
He asked her again.   
  
- "Why not? Maybe now I can show that II am as good as Chance."  
  
"We'll see about that! Chance has never beaten me on our  
obstacle course!" - His mind flew back to last night's  
dream. He swept it away with a shake of his head. Even  
so, it wouldn't hurt if he just asked. - "Turmoil,  
you know how to swim, don't you? And *please*, tell me  
the truth!" -   
  
She found the question dumb! *Of course* she could swim!   
She was a Gurkat and all Gurkats were required to be outstanding   
swimmers. And, that was just what she told Jake.   
  
Clearly relieved, he challenged her - "Last kat outside's a   
rotten tuna! You can have some of Chance's workout clothes."  
  
A few minutes later, they both stood under a hot sunny  
sky.   
  
Turmoil teased Jake, her sleeveless shirt hanging off the edges  
- "So, where do we start, 'rotten tuna'?"  
  
"Hah, hah! Funny. There's the starting line. It's really easy  
to follow - you can't miss. The finish line is marked  
by a ribbon. First kat to break it without cheating wins.  
Simple, ain't it?"  
  
"Okay. Then, we've already started. See you, 'rotten  
tuna'!" - She darted forward, leaving Jake behind.  
  
"HEY! You treacherous she-kat!" - Jake mumbled as he  
ran after her.  
------------------------------------------------------------  
"How is he?" - Comdr. Feral asked Felina, who was sitting  
in a chair next to the bed.   
  
She got up and saluted her uncle, which he responded. She answered   
his question then. "He's still in coma. Deeply." - she sighed -   
"His vital signs are good but the electrical activity of his brain  
seems to be erratic."  
  
"Erratic?"  
  
"Yeah, like something switching on and off inside his  
brain. I think the thump must have been too great. If he  
survives this, we must consider it a miracle."  
  
"But, he's in good physical condition! Doesn't *that*  
count?" - Feral asked, assuming a worried scowl.  
  
"The doctors say that must be the only reason why he's  
not already dead." - Felina caressed her cousin's face,  
taking care not to touch the wounds. - "You two are *so*  
different! I mean he's... and you're... I could *never*  
tell he was your son..."  
  
"Neither did I, Felina. He's just like his mother.  
Amazing what the gene pool can do... But, since I saw  
the mark a few weeks ago, I had his life thoroughly  
investigated. I hung around with his mother before  
joining the Enforcers. When I became an Enforcer, we  
began fighting. She didn't want me here. It was too  
dangerous, she said. Every day for two years we had  
our daily arguments. I couldn't stand it anymore. And,   
those fights were ruining my career as an Enforcer. I   
left her. She must have been pregnant by then. I never   
knew, and she never told me. We never spoke to each other  
again. And now, I come to find out that *he* is my son."  
- Feral sighed, looking at the brawny kat in the bed  
- "I treated him so bad... If only I had known before..."-  
  
Suddenly, the electrocardiograph's screen showed a  
green line and emitted a continuous high-pitched beep.  
  
"CRUD!" - Felina gasped, running to the intercom near  
the bed. Smacking the button with her fist, she screamed.  
- "CODE BLUE! CARDIAC ARREST! ROOM ONE--OH-NINE! I REPEAT:  
CODE BLUE! CARDIAC ARREST! ROOM ONE-OH-NINE!" - she  
turned to her cousin and jumped on top of the bed.  
Positioning her paws in his chest, she began administrating  
CPR. - "C'mon, bud! Don't wimp out on me now!" -   
  
The doctors came within seconds. Felina continued the CPR as  
the doctors prepared the defibrillator. One of them  
shouted 'Clear'. Felina jumped out of the bed as the  
doctor pressed the electrodes against the big kat's  
chest. The huge body rose spasmodically from the bed  
for a split second. The line and the continuous beep  
remained. Feral was crushed against the room's window,  
trying not to disturb the personnel. The doctor shouted  
'Clear' again, and again he pressed the electrodes  
against the brawny kat's chest. Nothing. The line  
remained.  
  
"BRING ME SOME EPI!" - one of the doctors bellowed.  
He was delivered a big syringe with a long wicked-looking  
needle. Feral didn't look as the needle perforated the  
kat's chest with an audible sound. The embolus was  
pressed and the epinephrine was injected into the kat's  
heart. The doctor holding the electrodes shouted  
'Clear' and once again pressed them against the kat's  
chest. The huge bulk jumped higher into the air. But  
this time, *something* happened. First, just a blip.  
Then another, and another again. In a few seconds, the  
rhythm was normal again.   
  
- "He's stable now." - one of the doctors said, sweeping the   
sweat out of his forehead with the back of his paw.  
  
"Can you tell me why did his heart stopped?"  
- Feral inquired.  
  
"We can't tell unless we run a few tests. But, he's  
in a deep coma. I wouldn't hold out too much hope for him..."  
  
"He'll get out of this, uncle!" - Felina said after  
the departure of the medical staff, patting her  
uncle's shoulder. - "He always does!"  
  
"I sure hope you're right, Felina! Now that I know  
he's my son, I couldn't bear to loose him... again..."  
------------------------------------------------------------  
Jake managed to surpass Turmoil thanks to her fall in  
the tires track. He was now climbing up a pile of  
metallic litter - the one before the water-filled pit  
where Chance nearly drowned a few years earlier. When  
he reached the top of it, he threw himself across the  
open air, grabbing the hanging cable (he replaced the rope  
for a steel cable after the incident with Chance).  
When he was in the middle of his swing, he felt  
something. His heart was burning as if a dagger was  
riveted in it! The pain came abruptly. He wasn't  
prepared for it. He let go of the cable and grabbed his  
chest, plunging into the water.   
  
The coldness gave him other subjects to think on, but the   
pain rapidly claimed its place in Jake's mind. It was   
oppressive now. In a corner of his mind he remembered what   
it was - he was having a heart attack!   
  
Something dove into the water but the pain and the lack of air   
were obstructing his thoughts. He felt hands grabbing him  
under his shoulders and pushing him up. In a few  
seconds, he was out of the pit and lying on the ground,  
his paws still attached to his middle-left chest,  
eyes tightly shut, his face a mask of pain. Then, as  
suddenly as it started, the pain was gone. He was all  
right again, like nothing had passed.  
  
- "What's the big idea?" - an angry soaked wet Turmoil faced him.  
- "Pretending to drown just so I'll slow down?"-   
  
Jake looked curiously at his chest. He had never  
had a heart attack before. He knew he didn't have  
any heart diseases and he was in a pretty good shape  
as well.   
  
- "Well, if you're not going to say anything,  
I'll just resume the game... See you at the finish  
line!"  
  
"Oh, no you won't!" - he said, getting up onto his  
feet and racing behind her, trying to forget whatever  
occurred with his heart. Whatever it was, it was over  
now. Besides, if his heart could support the strain  
of an obstacle course after a heart attack, it could  
bear anything.  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
"PASTMASTER!" - the resonant voice of Dark Kat  
reverberated down the maze of passages inside the  
volcano. - "Did you already locate it or not?"  
  
"I must beg for your patience, sire. It took me  
years to find the headdress of Katchu Pichu.  
Searching for the Dark Pyramid could take the same  
time or just a few months. Unfortunately, we're in  
the paws of Fortune now." - the hooded sorcerer  
replied hesitantly.   
  
The answer didn't please Dark Kat. A rush of fury lit his   
orange eyes. The huge purple kat spun in his heels and left   
the PastMaster alone. He headed for the room where Hard   
Drive was, still letting the blue bolts of electricity run   
through the keyboard of his computer console. This time,   
however, he was not alone.  
  
"Mutilor." - Dark Kat called.   
  
The orange spotted alien turned his bulk, capable of rivaling   
Dark Kat's stature. He bowed to the purple kat, setting one knee  
on the basalt floor.  
  
"Milord Dark Kat, everything is going according to  
your plans. I have already assimilated your technology  
and I think I can perfect it." - The alien hesitated  
for a few moments before speaking again. - "There are,  
however, a few things I need to accomplish my task,  
but I don't think that Milord Dark Kat can get them..."  
-   
  
Dark Kat's eyes blazed. He clenched the alien against  
the basalt wall with his left forearm, pressing it  
against the alien's throat.  
  
"There is NOTHING Dark Kat cannot have! What do you  
want?" - the purple kat relaxed the grip on the  
alien's throat.  
  
"F-four things, Milord... I'll need alpha-prasium  
and gold for the blasters and beryllium and agrecite  
for the drone's alloys" - Mutilor gasped.  
  
"Don't forget the aluminum... Lot's of it... The  
remaining components are available right here, from  
the volcano." - Hard Drive added from his seat.  
- "Of course, if we could have some tank armor from  
used Enforcer tanks and some compasses, gyroscopes  
and stabilizers from used jets, the work would be  
accomplished much more swiftly. Even so, it would  
take months do get the job done. And, wiring your  
Dark Pyramid would take some extra weeks too."  
- Hard Drive threw to Dark Kat, almost defying the  
big kat.   
  
Another burst of light blazed in his eyes.  
"My creeplings will take care of that. Meanwhile, I  
suggest you two keep working." - He turned to leave,  
but stopped at the entrance of the room. - "And  
Hard Drive... I don't like your attitude!" - The  
purple kat threw a little dart towards Hard Drive,  
striking him right in the center of the back of his  
neck.   
  
The tan-furred kat immediately fell over his  
console, shivered a bit and then passed out.  
  
- "Maybe when you wake up you'll be a little more  
respectful towards your master..." -   
  
Dark Kat left the room and Mutilor resumed his modifications   
on Hard Drive's drones.   
  
The devilish kat went to his 'throne room' and sat in his   
big obsidian 'throne,' assuming a thoughtful scowl.   
- "I've already got the Metallikats, the PastMaster, Hard   
Drive and Mutilor... Even hating him I need him to complete   
my evil alliance... But, getting Viper won't be easy... His  
scaly skin is a pain in my tail. It would repel any  
attempt at injecting him and the serum is effective  
only if injected in the spinal nerve cord...  
Something I want him to develop... Despite being  
insane, he's a biochemistry genius nevertheless...  
Maybe a goodwill gift would bring him to my side...  
And then..."  
--------------------------------------------------------  
"C'mon, Jake, can't you move any faster than that?"  
- Turmoil teased as she dodged Jake's foot. - "I'm getting   
bored here! We began this fight five minutes ago and you   
still haven't even scratched me!"-   
  
She jumped and flipped back as Jake tried another  
reverse kick. Although Turmoil was uninjured, Jake's  
shirt already had two rips in his chest.   
  
Jake was impressed. She could *really* move fast, even for  
him! There she was, preparing another swipe at him.  
She was a dreadful opponent! The attack came  
swiftly and powerfully from his left. He just  
averted it at the last second but then he realized  
he wasn't her target. She was aiming for the sandbag  
just behind him. When he looked at it, the sand was  
spattered all over the ground. Jake swallowed  
uneasily. If she had hit him, his bones would be in  
pieces now!  
  
"Not bad, Turmoil... Not bad at all! I must say I'm  
impressed!"  
  
"Save your breath, Jake, 'cause you'll need it to  
escape from me!" - Turmoil ran towards Jake, her  
bare feet not making a sound on the ground.   
  
Jake narrowed his eyes. He spotted a weakness in her  
defenses. She was preparing a fly kick. It would  
be simple to disarm her. She jumped, her right leg  
stretched in front of her body. Jake squatted when  
Turmoil's foot was just a few inches from his face,  
grabbing her from below. Benefiting from her impetus,  
Jake threw her against the wall behind him.   
  
She gasped had Jake completely frustrated her attack.  
She was hurtling toward the wall. But then, an  
instinct guided her acts. She took advantage of her  
extra impulse and squatted on the wall, boosting  
herself from it and towards Jake again. The tomkat was   
clearly caught off guard by that stunt. She stretched   
her right leg in front of her again.   
  
Jake didn't stop to think. Mechanically, he leapt into  
the air and kicked her hard in the face when she  
passed underneath him. Turmoil fell instantly to  
the ground, her snout bleeding. Jake landed on one  
leg, keeping the other retracted.   
  
Just then he realized he *really* had struck Turmoil.   
He ran to her. She was on all fours, shaking her head.  
  
"Turmoil! 'Re you okay?" - he knelt beside her.  
  
As he did it, she delivered a blow to Jake's chin  
with the lower part of her right paw. Jake was  
thrown back by with the blow.  
  
"I am now..." - she said, getting up and cleaning  
the blood off her nose with the back of her paw.  
- "At least my pride is avenged!" - She smiled and  
handed a paw to help Jake to his feet.   
  
He accepted it as his left paw was groping his painful chin,  
hoping it wasn't broken. They both headed for the  
upper level, to the garage's living-room.  
  
"Heck of a fighter, Turmoil... Was it part of the  
Gurkats' training?" - Jake asked, his chin aching  
with every word he spoke.  
  
"*Obviously*! What do you think? Only the Enforcers  
have a tough training?" - she seemed a little  
insulted by his comment so he just hushed.  
Besides, his chin was really aching now. - "Don't  
you want to tell me what happened outside this  
morning?" - her question surprised him.  
  
"Huh? What're you talkin' about now?" - he managed  
to say, trying to reduce his mouth's movements to  
a minimum.   
  
Turmoil didn't seem in pain although her nose still bled.   
Either she wasn't in pain or she could control it very well.  
  
"I'm talking about your little 'plunging contest'.  
You nearly drowned there and you had your paws  
pressed against your chest. What happened?" - she  
was referring to his heart attack early that  
morning.   
  
Jake hadn't thought about it since then.  
He shrugged.  
  
"It was a heart attack, that's all!"   
  
She spun on her heel to face him, concern spread all over  
her face.  
  
"Say that again, Jake? A heart attack? How can  
that be? You're young and you're in good physical  
condition!"  
  
"I said the same thing to me, but the fact  
remains... Besides, it's already over. Apart from  
this ache in my chin, I've never felt better  
in my life." - Jake reassured her.  
  
"It's your life, Jake. You do whatever you want  
with it." - She leaned her head back and pressed  
her nose to stop the hemorrhage. - "I'm all sweaty!  
I'll take a cold shower as soon as my nose stops  
bleeding."  
  
"Then I guess I'll take it first."  
  
"Lucky you..."  
--------------------------------------------------------  
Turmoil was running down the beach. The hot sand  
caressed her feet as she sprinted. Someone was  
right behind her.   
  
- "C'mon, Chance, give it up! You know you'll never catch me!"  
  
"We'll see 'bout that! You should know I *never*  
give up, beautiful!" - the brawny kat said as he  
increased the pace. Chance threw himself into the  
air attempting to grab her.   
  
At the last minute, she dodged him and he fell on   
the sand, rolling over and getting up to his feet. He  
sprinted after her, starting to gain on her.  
  
"Can't catch me!" - she teased and ran towards  
the sea.   
  
Chance was right behind her. With another  
increase of his pace, he caught her by her waist,  
knocking them both on the sand. They rolled over  
each other in the sand, laughing.   
  
When Chance finally caught his breath, he teased her.  
  
"Told you I'd catch you..." - he purred deeply.  
  
"So I see! I'm your prisoner now! What're you  
gonna do with me?" - she purred back.   
  
Chance leaned over her mouth and kissed her deeply and  
hard as he caressed her body. She too cherished  
the big tabby's unclothed torso, feeling his  
muscles under his fur. The kiss seemed to go on  
forever but something disturbed it. A shadow.  
Someone was there, blocking the sun.   
  
Chance looked up to see who was there but only received  
a powerful kick in his face, making him roll off  
Turmoil.  
  
"What the..." - he started, groping his face.  
Then he recognized the huge bulk in front of him and  
gasped - "Dark Kat!" - Turmoil was already beside Chance,  
looking at the huge purple kat. - "What do you want, Dark  
Crud?"  
  
"Your head, SWAT Kat!" - The huge kat said. He positioned  
his walking stick in his right paw like it was a sword.  
Only then did Turmoil notice the twin razors protruding from  
each side of it.  
  
"Chance, his cane..."  
  
"I've seen it, beautiful..." - Chance stood to his feet  
- "If it's a fight you want, Dark Kat, then it's a fight  
you'll get!" - Chance assumed a fighting stand and revealed  
his deadly claws, each muscle in his body tensed for battle.  
The first swoosh hit him square in his chest, leaving a red  
streak on it. Chance flung himself toward Dark Kat, knocking  
him to the sand. - "TURMOIL, RUN! GET RAZOR!"  
  
"I won't leave you, Chance!"  
  
"GO! NOW!" - Chance roared. Even with all his strength,  
holding Dark Kat wasn't an easy task.   
  
Hesitantly, she ran toward the Cyclotron but stopped in the   
middle of the way when she heard Chance's scream. She looked   
back to see Chance fighting Dark Kat only with his left arm,   
the other lying in a mound of red sand at his feet.   
  
Dark Kat inflicted a few more slashes in Chance's body before   
thrusting his cane through Chance's abdomen. His eyes widened   
and he gulped in surprise. He grabbed Dark Kat's cane with his  
left paw while his face became a tortured mask of pain.  
Dark Kat pulled his cane out of his body, a red gush dyeing  
the sand.   
  
Chance fell to his knees, still grabbing his  
bleeding abdomen. Slowly, Dark Kat raised his cane above  
his head and, in one swift motion, swept it through  
Chance's neck.  
  
"*CHANCE*!" - Turmoil sat upright in her bed.   
  
Jake blew the bedroom door open and hurried to her side.   
  
Her eyes were still unfocused. She screamed to him. - "RAZOR!  
CHANCE IS IN TROUBLE! *YOU GOTTA SAVE HIM*! - She shook  
Jake as she said it.  
  
"Turmoil! TURMOIL! It's over now! It was a nightmare!"  
- he said, embracing her.   
  
She calmed down a little but then pressed her face against   
Jake's shoulder and cried.   
  
Jake let her cry, caressing her hair. - "It's okay, now!  
Everything's gonna be just fine! Everything's all right,  
now!" -   
  
When she regained her composure, Jake asked her  
if she wanted to talk about it. She just shook her head no.  
  
"I'm okay now, Jake... I'm sorry if I've awakened you."  
  
"Sure you're all right?" - Jake insisted. She nodded and  
Jake left. However, he could sense this was going to be a  
long night.  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
The creeplings arrived at the salvage yard, their  
characteristic chit chattering cutting the darkness of  
the night. Following Dark Kat's orders, they removed all  
the required materials. Compasses, radars, stabilizers and  
even engines were torn from the jets' wreckage. In their  
rush they made a lot of noise, enough for Jake to go  
outside and check it out.  
  
- "WHO'S THERE?" - he shouted into the night.   
  
The noise reduced a bit but didn't stop.  
The night was dark and warm, with little wind. Even his  
eyes needed some light in order to see in the dark and  
there wasn't any. Jake felt a chill despite the warmth of  
the night. The noise stopped completely. His eyes were  
searching but couldn't see much. Then, he caught a  
glimpse of something in the corner of his left eye.  
  
Something colored in pink just flashed. What was that?  
Was he seeing things? No. He wasn't. Four creeplings  
jumped down on him, slashing his bare torso with their  
claws. Jake yelped in surprise but then the years of  
training at the Enforcers took the best of him. He grabbed  
the nearest creepling by his neck and clenched his fist  
around it. The death was instantaneous.   
  
- "You shouldn't have messed with an ex-Enforcer, you   
little creeps!" - he said, teeth gritted, as he smashed   
another creepling in his powerful paws.   
  
The remaining two slashed harder and took bites off Jake's neck.   
  
- "You miserable slime balls!" - Jake grabbed both creeplings by   
their wings and smacked them against the wall, breaking their spines.   
Purple blood dripped from their snouts as they lied in the ground  
limply.   
  
Turmoil ran to his side as he was entering home.  
  
"Oh! Jake! What happened?" -   
  
His orange fur was streaked red in various spots and his neck   
showed some painful bite marks.  
  
"I'm fine. Just a bunch of creeplings hanging around."  
- he said as he rubbed his neck with Ann alcohol  
preparation he took from their first aid kit. - "Wonder  
what those little pests were doing here... Better: what  
does Dark Kat have up his sleeve..." -   
  
Turmoil grimaced as she saw Jake pour some of the burning liquid   
on his wounds. He seemed used to it.  
  
"Well, I better stand guard for the rest of the night...  
Just in case..." - Turmoil suggested. - "Go get some  
rest, Jake. It's nearly dawn and you barely slept  
tonight, first because of my nightmare and now because  
of this. It's the least I can do to thank you..."  
  
"Don't think I'll be able to sleep after all this. Just  
thinking about Dark Kat drives my sleep away..." - he  
mumbled as he sank in the couch.   
  
In a few minutes he was asleep, physically exhausted. Turmoil   
pushed the sheet over to Jake's neck and caressed his forehead.  
  
"It's been a long day, Jake... Sleep well..."  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
"Go home, Felina. I'll stay with him." - Feral said to  
her niece, who was already slumping in her chair.  
  
"I guess a few hours of sleep would come in handy  
right now... Never thought standing guard to someone  
unconscious could be so draining... both physically  
and psychologically..." - Felina said, yawning and  
stretching in the chair before standing in her feet.  
- "Are you sure you'll be okay with him, uncle?" - she  
asked. After what she saw a few hours earlier, she  
couldn't trust her uncle to guard his son. What if he  
attempted to murder him again? But the strain of the  
day overcame her. She desperately needed some sleep.  
Even if she stood in the room, she would probably fall  
asleep and then Feral could assassinate her cousin  
with the same ease.  
  
"Dismiss, Lieutenant Feral." - he said, his tone not leaving   
room for disagreement. She saluted her uncle  
and left the room.  
  
"Good night, uncle. See you in a couple of hours."  
  
Feral sank in the chair beside the bed. He looked at  
the brawny kat lying there. His fur was burnt in some  
places. In other places it was streaked with brown dried  
blood. How could he have survived? And yet, he was not  
safe. His life was still in danger, maybe more than  
ever. Feral took the kat's right paw in his own, just  
holding it.  
  
"Don't give up now, son! I'm counting on you!" - he  
said, no louder than a whisper. He leaned his head  
until his forehead touched the kat's fist. Suddenly,  
the kat's paw squeezed Feral's a little bit. Almost  
nothing but Feral could feel it, anyway. The squeeze  
took only a few seconds. Then, the kat's paw turned  
limp again. Despite his stony heart, Feral couldn't  
help letting a tear drop from his left eye.  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
"I just hate being underground! If I had any fur,  
it'd..."  
  
"Ah, stop ya yammerin' and let's get this done. Dark Kat's  
countin' on us, see?" - Mac Mange cut off his wife's wailing.  
They were eight miles below the surface, right in the  
middle of the richest agrecite ore in Megakat City.  
  
"So let's not disappoin' him or we'll get our tails melted.  
Where *are* those things anyway? And what's he gonna do  
with 'em?" - Molly Mange asked as she swept a scorpion  
off her.  
  
"Beats me. But if the boss says he wants one, we give him  
one." - The two Metallikats had been wandering in the caverns  
for hours now and they hadn't seen anything yet. - "We  
better keep our sensors up. If these things are as strong  
as Dark Kat says, they could crush our armor in no time!"  
  
"I hear you. This place gives me the creeps!" - Molly  
acknowledged. Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet gave  
way and she fell. - "MAC!"  
  
"MOLLY!" - the tom-Metallikat plunged and managed to grab  
her by her paw. Underneath her was a pit of boiling lava.  
The heat was starting already to melt their most sensitive  
components. - "Hold on, Molly. I'm gettin' you outta there."  
- Mac pulled his wife easily from the pit. She greeted him  
with a thump on his head.  
  
"What took you so long? I was melting there!"  
  
"Let's get going. If we don't find that agrecite-plated  
scorpion *Dark Kat* will melt us." - A crack opened in the  
rocky wall just above Mac and an orange arm with a pincer  
emerged, grabbing the short Metallikat and easily lifting  
him into the air. - "Molly! I think *he* just found *us*!"  
-   
  
The agrecite scorpion jumped out from behind the rocky  
wall and tried to grab Molly. She dodged it, firing her  
blaster cannon at the scorpion. The beam hit the creature  
square in the face but it didn't even blink.  
  
"What? I just gave it my best shot and it didn't even  
*feel* it!" - Molly said, surprised.   
  
Suddenly, the orange scorpion's neck extended to catch her.   
She jumped away at the last second and the wicked jaws bit a   
chunk of agrecite on the floor. The neck retracted and the big  
scorpion's green eyes searched for Molly but couldn't  
find her. She was hiding behind a rock.  
  
"Use the gas!" - Mac said as the pincer around his waist  
tightened its grip. - "Dark Kat said it was the only  
thing that could stop it! Ugh! And hurry up! He's  
crushing me!"  
  
"Ah, don't choke on a wireball!" - she threw a gas  
grenade, which landed neatly near the agrecite  
scorpion's feet, exploding instantly and sending a  
burst of a purple gas into the air.   
  
The scorpion blinked its eyes twice and fell to the ground.   
Mac was free but his armor bore the dents of the  
scorpion's agrecite pincer.  
  
"It was about time! Now let's get this thing to Dark Kat!" -  
  
Both Metallikats picked up the limp body and got out of  
the caves in a machine similar to the SWAT Kat's TurboMole.  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
"Dark Kat? It'sss not posssible! How did you essscape  
from my plantimalsssssssss?" - Dr Viper hissed furiously  
when he saw the purple kat standing in the entrance of  
his laboratory in Megakat Swamps. - "And how did you  
find me?"  
  
"Calm down, Viper. I come in peace." - Dark Kat reassured  
the green kat.   
  
Viper just gave a dry chuckle and hissed.  
  
"In peassse? *You*? Ha! That'sss a new one! You ssstill  
haven't anssswered me!" - Viper shot back, impatiently.  
  
"Everybody knows you live in the swamps. Besides, your  
lab is easily identifiable!" - Dark Kat answered.   
  
Dr. Viper's eyes glowed in the semi-obscurity of his lab.  
He hissed furiously.  
  
"Give me one good reassson for not killing you right  
now!" - he threatened.  
  
"I want to propose a deal to you, Viper. If..." - Dark  
Kat started but was interrupted by Viper's cry of  
disbelief.  
  
"A deal? A *DEAL*? LIKE *LASSST TIME*, PERHAPSSSSSSSSSSSSS?"  
- His eyes acquired a brighter glow and he stretched his  
claws as he snapped his tail menacingly.   
  
Dark Kat seemed unimpressed with Viper's display. Instead, he   
gave him a devilish grin.  
  
"You still remember? I didn't forget it either. But this time  
it will be different, Viper. I really need you this time.  
And, as you might already know, the SWAT Kats are one member  
short."  
  
"What ensssures me that you don't finish me off  
asss sssoon asss you have what you want?" - the glow in  
his eyes faded a bit but he still waved his tail  
threateningly.   
  
Dark Kat was laughing inside his mind.  
"He's falling for it." - Dark Kat thought - "Time to  
present him my good-will gift!"  
  
"And you ssstill haven't told me how you essscaped  
from my petsss!"  
  
"Oh, that!" - Dark Kat spoke almost casually - "I just  
used my good-will gift for you. Hope you don't mind!  
Bet you've always lunged for one of these for your  
experiments." - Dark Kat gave a light tug at the leash  
he was holding in his right paw.   
  
From the shadows behind him, the agrecite scorpion stepped to   
Dark Kat's side. Viper's eyes widened in astonishment.   
  
Dark Kat smiled to himself and thought. - "He's mine!   
Incredible what this neurological serum can do! Even to an animal!"  
  
"Where did you find thisss ssspesssimen? It'sss a full  
grown mature adult! It'sss in the peak of itsss power!  
And, how did you tame it?" - Viper asked, wanting to  
touch the beast.  
  
"I wouldn't touch it if I were you, Viper. It obeys  
only me. But, it shall be yours if we can come to an  
agreement."  
  
"I'd do *anything* to have that ssscorpion! Imagine  
what I could achieve with you, my beautiful beassst!  
Okay, Dark Kat. I'm in!" - Viper extended his paw to  
Dark Kat.   
  
The hooded kat grabbed it in his huge paw  
and both villains shook hands to seal their deal.  
----------------------------------------------------------  
"So, what did they take?" - Turmoil asked Jake as he  
surveyed the pile of military wreckage in a corner of  
the salvage yard.   
  
He scratched his head, thoughtfully.  
  
"Not much. A couple of compasses, maybe a few  
gyroscopes... Some engines... Kat's Eye News reported  
some robberies around the city's jewelry stores. Feral  
identified the robbers as Dark Kat's creeplings.  
That's strange! Creeplings stealing gold, agrecite  
and jewels..." - he shook his head and looked down at  
Turmoil - "I don't get it! What would Dark Kat want  
with that stuff? Unless he's building a new Doomsday  
Express or..." - His eyes narrowed to thin slits with  
that thought.  
  
"Or what, Jake?" - Turmoil questioned, catching Jake's  
grimace.  
  
"Or he's building more drones..." - The last word escaped  
together with a low growl. - "The same ones that killed  
Chance..." - he clamped his fist around the metallic barrel  
of the chopper's gun he was holding, crushing it.   
  
Turmoil felt the same wave of anger overthrowing her. She tossed  
the piece of metal she was holding against the windscreen  
of a nearby Enforcer car, shattering it even more. A few  
minutes passed before Turmoil asked Jake again.  
  
"What are we going to do about that?" - she growled,  
trying to get a grip on herself.   
  
Jake was calmer than she was. His answer was more than expected.  
  
"I'll start rebuilding the TurboKat... Maybe with a few  
modifications... And then, we'll hunt down Dark Kat! I owe  
*that* much to Chance..." - he started looking for some  
components he would need for that monumental task of  
rebuilding the black jet.   
  
Turmoil joined him a little bit later.  
  
"Chance showed me the true meaning of love... I won't  
let it all fall into a bottomless pit... The new Radical  
Squadron will kick Dark Kat's miserable tail!" - Turmoil  
said as she helped Jake, her voice in a crescendo.   
  
Jake peered quickly at her determined face and gritted his  
teeth, the fury against Dark Kat rising inside his heart.  
  
"Roger that!"  
---------------------------------------------------------  
The ride back to Megakat's National Park and to Dark  
Kat's volcano was swift. Dark Kat's new Doomsday  
Express was as versatile as it was dreadful, being a  
sea-air-land vehicle. He used the ship's force field to  
penetrate the lava cascade on one side of the  
cone-shaped mountain. Once inside, the Doomsday Express  
landed softly in a built-in hangar in the basalt.  
  
- "Welcome to my temporary hideout, Viper. Impressed?"  
- Dark Kat said as he put one huge paw on Viper's  
shoulder.   
  
Viper seemed unimpressed. All he cared about was Biology. Rocks   
had no value to him as he couldn't mutate them. He, however,   
seemed surprised to see the Metallikats there.  
  
"What are they doing here?" - Viper asked, pointing to  
the robots. - "Don't tell me they are into thisss too!"  
  
"Actually, they are. They were one of my first  
acquisitions." - Dark Kat conducted the agrecite  
scorpion to a cell near the ship and locked it  
inside.   
  
Viper looked back at him, his eyes glowing  
in the semi-obscurity.  
  
"With whom elssse did you deal with thisss time?" - he  
asked, both curiously and nervously. He wasn't expecting  
any more members.  
  
"You'll see. Come, let me present you to my other...  
associates." - Dark Kat guided Viper through a maze of  
lava tubes until they reached Dark Kat's 'throne room'.  
  
"We're getting usssed to the royalty, aren't we?"  
- Viper chuckled dryly. From another room he could  
clearly hear the whirring of machinery. Dark Kat took  
Viper to that room and he was astonished to find Hard  
Drive and Mutilor in there, both occupied constructing  
the new drones. Dark Kat took Viper away and headed for  
another room. This room was enlightened by a purple  
glimmering glow. If Viper was surprised to see the  
techno-crook and the orange spotted alien, his chin  
nearly fell to the ground when he recognized the  
skeletal form of the PastMaster surrounded by a purple  
flare. Dark Kat didn't interrupt the sorcerer in his  
search for the Dark Pyramid.   
  
Returning to the 'throne room', Dark Kat sunk into his   
obsidian 'throne'. He rested his elbows on the throne's arms   
and interlaced his fingers in front of his face.  
  
"So, Viper. What do you think of my allies this time?"  
- he gave the reptilian kat another of his devilish  
grins.   
  
Viper was still recovering from his surprise.  
  
"I can't sssay I'm not impresssssed, Dark Kat. Now you  
*really* have an invinsssible allianssse of evil. I  
don't ssse why do you need me!" - his tail snapped in  
the air, the sound cutting through the room and  
reverberating down the walls. Dark Kat reached inside  
his cloak and tossed Viper a little flask with a  
gray-blue liquid inside.   
  
Viper caught the flask in his paws and examined it for a while.  
  
"Neurological ssserum? How did you get thissssss?"  
- he asked, his tail waving in the air nervously.  
  
"Let's just say one SWAT Kat died when he tried to  
stop me while I was... acquiring the serum." - the  
purple kat chuckled lightly and leaned back. - "I was  
hoping you could develop it."  
  
"I can't imagine how you could penetrate the Neurology  
sssection of the Labsss, but I don't care either. Sssince  
I wasss only Dr. Elrod Purvisss I have wanted to ssstudy  
thisss ssserum! What do you want me to develop in it?  
It'sss activity? It'sss applicationsss?"  
  
"It's administration mode. The serum only works when it  
is injected in the spinal nerve chord! That is not very  
efficient. I want it to be administrated orally or,  
preferably, by inhalation." - Dark Kat shot out. He  
looked at Viper to see if he understood his request.  
  
"You're asking too much! It took the Lab'sss  
resssearchersss yearssss to come to thisss ssserum.  
Now you want me to develop it'sss adminissstration mode  
to the peak of difficulty - inhalation. I don't think I  
can do it, Dark Kat. But, I'll gladly ssstudy it for you."  
- Viper said, his eyes narrowing as a grin appeared on  
his lips.   
  
Dark Kat's eyes lit and narrowed too. He roe from his 'throne'   
and walked to Viper.   
  
The green kat felt what was coming and assumed a fighting stance,  
with his tail swinging crazily behind him. The Metallikats  
appeared from behind and grabbed Viper's tail, his most  
fearsome weapon.   
  
Dark Kat approached the reptilian scientist and delivered a hard   
blow to his head, making him fall to his knees.  
  
"Now it's *my* turn to ask you, Viper: what about our  
deal? Well, I think the deal's off... *again*!" - He  
punched Viper's head again and the green kat lost his  
senses, slumping to the ground. Dark Kat kneeled  
beside him and took a few scales from his neck.  
Green blood took the scales' place. Reaching for a  
syringe inside his cloak, he removed the cap that  
protected the needle and sunk it in Viper's neck. He  
pressed the embolus and all the pale blue-gray fluid  
went inside Viper's spinal medulla. The reptilian kat  
shivered for a while and then his body lied limply  
again. Apparently, the serum was effective once more.  
  
- "Take him away to the lab I prepared for him. In one  
way or another, you *will* help me, Dr. Viper." - Dark Kat  
said as he headed for his 'throne' again. He sat and  
stared at the bubbling lava in the pit in front of him,  
thinking. - "My evil alliance is complete. With the  
Metallikats, the PastMaster, Hard Drive, Mutilor and Viper  
as my loyal slaves and without the SWAT Kats, nothing  
shall interpose between me and total world domination!  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------- 


	2. The SWAT Kats' Final Resistance - Part T...

TITLE: THE SWAT KATS' FINAL RESISTANCE: PART TWO   
  
AUTHOR: C. L. Furlong   
  
DATE: January 16, 2001   
  
FINISHED: January 26, 2001   
  
LAST REVISION: February 14, 2001   
  
E-MAIL: chance_lizard_furlong@aeiou.pt  
  
RATING: PG13  
  
SUMMARY: With Turmoil as Jake's new partner, the Radical Squadron  
seems to be up and running once more. However, Dark Kat has different  
plans both for Razor *and* for the city.  
  
DISCLAIMER: SWAT Kats and anything related to the series is property   
of Hanna-Barbera. No infringement is intended and no profit is gained   
with this fiction.   
  
COMMENTS: The following chapter of this trilogy. Hope it's enjoyable.  
Cheers to all of you, SK fans!  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------   
----------------------------------------------------------------   
"We don't have the power to destroy the planet - or to save it. But we might   
have the power to save ourselves." - Michael Crichton in "Jurassic Park"   
----------------------------------------------------------------   
----------------------------------------------------------------   
"If I lose, everyone loses!" - Dark Kat in "Katastrophe"   
----------------------------------------------------------------   
----------------------------------------------------------------   
THE SWAT KATS' FINAL RESISTANCE: Part Two  
  
A month had elapsed since the creeplings had attacked  
Jake at the salvage yard.  
  
It was a glorious sunny afternoon and high in the skies above  
Megakat Bay the TurboKat completed a series of daredevil moves that  
sent Razor's stomach to his mouth. Razor could see that Katana  
was almost as skilled as T-Bone. That was obvious to him now!  
However, Razor hadn't gotten over his friend's death yet.  
  
"She's a lot like you, ol' buddy... But, it's not the same  
thing... - Razor thought - Chance, Chance... I miss you so badly...  
But, I know now you're alive... Somewhere on this planet you live...  
I just have this feeling that you're not dead, buddy... I still  
haven't lost my hope of seeing you again..."  
  
"So, Razor, what do you think? Had enough G's already?"  
Katana asked Razor, her voice muffled over the radio built  
in her oxygen mask, bringing the weapons officer back to reality.  
  
Razor blinked twice and mumbled something over the radio.  
  
"What was that again, Razor?"  
  
"I said, so far I haven't seen anything unusual. Can't you  
do better than that?" - he was obviously teasing her.  
  
In this month of close dealing with Turmoil/Katana, Razor knew that  
would tick her off.  
  
He slipped on his oxygen mask and prepared himself for a  
higher dose of G's as the jet hurtled upward. Katana pushed the  
throttle switch till the end and engaged the afterburners. The  
jet darted upward and Razor was crushed against his seat. He  
began to see dark spots in the corner of his eyes a little later.  
  
"Engaging Speed of Heat!" - Katana announced proudly.  
  
The thrusters slid out of the rear of the jet, its wings swung  
backward, giving the fighter a somewhat more delta-like shape. The  
canopy was covered rapidly with the heat shields. All seven thrusters were  
in motion. The TurboKat plunged upward, defying the pull of gravity.  
They reached the top of the stratosphere in seconds.  
  
Razor's vision was now almost completely black except for  
a strip in front of each pupil. Katana cut off the afterburners  
and reduced the throttle so she could turn the jet and head down  
toward the ground. She too was beginning to see the corners of her  
eyes turn jet-black. She felt her body float free inside her harness  
during the turn, when gravity was temporarily null.  
  
When the jet completed a 180º turn, she maxed the jet up again,  
starting to spin the TurboKat around itself in a death-defying spiral.  
They reentered the troposphere and hurtled down to Megakat Bay, the  
sound barrier broken long ago. She cut off the Speed of Heat thrusters  
and the afterburners in order to control the fighter before it could  
dive into the cold waters of the sea beneath them.  
  
She pulled the control handle toward her to level the jet,  
putting all her strength in that movement. When the jet was finally  
leveled, she reduced the rear engines and activated the VTOL engines,  
setting the TurboKat in hover mode.  
  
"So, what do you say now, Razor?" - There was no answer from behind  
her - "Razor?" - She turned in her seat, as much as the bands of her  
security harness would allow her, and she saw that Razor's eyes were  
glazed.  
  
"He's in G-shock!" - she thought - "I'd better get him back to the  
hangar!"  
  
She then turned to the controls and was about to activate the rear  
engines when she heard Razor mumbling. He was snapping out of his  
trance.  
  
"Razor! Are you okay?"  
  
"I... I'm okay... I guess..." - He managed to answer.  
  
His vision was still clouded, but it was clearing at a satisfying rate.  
  
"Let's head home, okay?" - he said.  
  
Suddenly, the radio crackled and a familiar female voice invaded  
the cockpit.  
  
"SWAT Kats! You're alive!"  
  
"Yes, Miss Briggs! The SWAT Kats are back in action!" - Razor  
answered, his heart pounding with each word he spoke to his loved one.  
  
"I tried to call you two several times last month but you  
never answered! Is everything all right with you, Razor?"  
  
His face turned red. Razor knew Callie didn't know he and Jake were  
the same kat, but he couldn't help but think she had just asked Jake that and  
not Razor. After all, they were both the same kat...  
  
"I'm fine, Miss Briggs. Thanks for your concern!"  
  
"What about T-Bone? Is he okay too?"  
  
Razor didn't answer that. His mind suddenly flew a month back in  
time. He remembered the explosion when the jet crashed against City Hall  
and felt a tight knot forming in his stomach.   
  
The radio crackled again.  
  
"Razor? Are you still there?"  
  
"I'm here, Miss Briggs!" - Razor said, snapping out of his memories.  
- "I'm sorry I didn't answer you." - He uncomfortably shifted his  
position in the seat as he searched for the right words. - "It's kinda hard  
for me to say this..."  
  
"Did something happen to T-Bone?" - Callie asked, her voice showing  
true concern.  
  
"T-Bone..."  
  
He didn't want to say the word 'died' for he thought it was too  
strong. Besides, it would shake his recent beliefs.  
  
"...left this world, Miss Briggs..."  
  
A long silence filled the cockpit before Callie recovered enough from  
her own shock.  
  
"I... I'm... I'm so sorry, Razor... I *really* am..."  
  
Even she, who wrote all of Manx's speeches, was having trouble finding  
the right words. But then, the facts struck her.  
  
"Then... who's flying the TurboKat? Is it you, Razor?"  
  
"No, Miss Briggs, I'm not flying the TurboKat..."  
  
"It's Razor's new partner!" - Katana said - "Nice to speak to you,  
Deputy Mayor. You can call me Katana!"  
  
"You replaced T-Bone already?"  
  
She couldn't know the effect that comment had on Razor. He dropped  
his head to his chest and closed his eyes. The feeling he was betraying  
Chance overwhelmed him again as it had countless times the last month.  
  
In his nightmares, Chance and T-Bone had already died in at least  
fifty different ways. The most terrifying were the times when he  
helplessly let his friend die in his arms.  
  
He suddenly cocked his head. No! That was enough! He wouldn't allow  
himself to be down now! Chance was alive and he knew it! The hard part  
was to pretend to the other katizens he wasn't!  
  
Only Razor believed Chance was alive. Not even Turmoil believed in that  
already! But, Razor had to maintain that belief. Otherwise, he would go  
insane longing for his 'brother' to return...  
  
"Actually, she came to me, Miss Briggs." - he managed to say, trying to  
keep a strong tone in his voice - "She was an old acquaintance of T-Bone's  
and he would have wanted her to take his place. I accepted her and she's  
already proved trustworthy. She is ready to give her life to protect MegaKat  
City,.. like T-Bone did."  
  
From over the radio, Razor heard a voice calling Callie. It was Manx.  
  
"Oops! Gotta go, guys... I have to escort 'his honor' to the opening  
of the new Manx statue in Katalina Station..."  
  
The radio went blank. Katana chuckled a little.  
  
"Guys? She must've been very close to you!" - she said as she flew the  
black jet towards the salvage yard.  
  
"She's one of our best friends. She and Ann Gora. If it weren't for  
those ladies, we would only know Megakat City was under attack until it was  
already too late!" - Razor said as he inspected his radar.  
  
Nothing to fear.  
  
No drones in sight.  
  
Katana attempted to look back at Razor. She shook her head.  
  
"Razor, I think you're getting paranoid about those drones! We're all  
clear!" - she said as she pushed a button on the remote control that  
would open the door to the underground hangar. - "By the way, aren't you  
forgetting someone? From what I saw that day, years before, there was at   
least *one* Enforcer who gave you credit..."  
  
"Yeah, Felina... She's a good friend, too... At least, she has the  
ability to tame her uncle..."  
  
He gave a soft chuckle as the canopy popped open. Both SWAT Kats jumped  
to the floor and removed their helmets.  
  
"And, I don't think I'm *getting* paranoid about those drones... I  
really *am* paranoid about 'em. I don't want Dark Kat to get here and blow our   
cover like the Metallikats did that time!"  
  
"Yeah, so you've told me... about a hundred times in the last month..."  
She took off her mask and swung her head so her hair would settle down.  
"Even so, I think you should have more faith in me. I think I've made  
perfectly clear I can take care of *both* of us!"  
  
"It's not that, Turmoil... I saw your skills! I know what you can do!  
It's Dark Kat I'm worried about! Unfortunately, I know *his* skills as  
well!"  
  
He took off his G-suit and placed it in his locker. He had started  
dressing in his mechanics overalls when he turned to face Turmoil.  
  
"And I don't need *anybody* to take care of me!" - he said in a rasping  
voice - "Don't treat me as though I was a kitten!"  
  
Turmoil was surprised! She had never seen Jake act like this!  
  
"Whoa!" - she said, raising her paws to cover her face - "I'm sorry if  
I insulted you, okay? Now c'mon, let's get a bite of something. I'm starving!"  
  
"You go get somethin' for yourself. I'm not really hungry. I guess I'll  
go practice a little before headin' back to the grease pit..." - he  
mumbled as he started to take off his overalls.  
  
Only when Turmoil was safe near the ladder did she scream to Jake.  
  
"You know, Jake, it would have saved you a lot of time if you had just  
put on your kimono when you took off your G-suit!"  
  
Laughing, she climbed up the stairs as fast as she could to avoid the  
wrench Jake threw at her. She felt tempted to say something like 'not so  
sureshot, are you' but she decided it would be better not to tick him off even  
more. She knew Jake could be dangerous if he lost his temper, which, in turn, was  
something quite hard for him to do. She thought it would be better to leave him  
alone a little bit so he would calm down.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
In the dojo Jake and Chance had built in a separate room of the hangar,  
Jake was running at full stride toward the sandbag.  
  
He jumped and rotated his torso before rotating his hips and his right  
leg, which exploded in the sandbag with a loud thud. The sandbag was  
thrown in the opposite direction. Jake landed and waited for the sandbag to  
return.  
  
His left fist laid beside his chest as the right one was stretched in  
front of him. When the sandbag was about to strike him, Jake let out a  
high-pitched kat-rate cry as he extended his left fist and retracted the  
right one. The sandbag bulged out on the opposite side and the sand  
burst out of the bag.  
  
Jake remained in the same position for a few seconds while the sandbag  
was being deprived of its content. He withdrew his left arm, contracting  
his biceps. Surprisingly, the bag was uninjured where Jake had hit it, but  
the force of his stroke had punched a hole in the opposite side.  
  
He left the arena and sat on a low wood bench, grabbing a towel and  
tossing it across his shoulders. Sweat was covering his face and his  
muscular bare torso. He was calmer now, but his heart still had some rage   
in it.  
  
It wasn't his fault like he said a month ago.  
  
No.  
  
It was all *Dark Kat's* fault!  
  
*Dark Kat* had hurt Chance, not him!  
  
If Chance was missing, then *Dark Kat* was the one to be blamed, not  
him!  
  
He jumped off the bench, turned around and smacked the side of his  
right paw in a chopping motion on it, breaking it in two pieces. He   
straightened, bent his arms up and clenched his fists, tensing every   
muscle in his torso, the most determined and fierce look appearing on   
his face.  
  
"I swear to you, buddy, wherever you are, I'll *kill* Dark Kat with my  
own paws!"  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
"How is he?" - Felina asked the old nurse that was taking care of her  
cousin as she entered her uncle's private infirmary.   
  
The gray-furred she-kat turned to face the lieutenant with sad eyes.  
  
"It's amazing how he's been recovering but... he's still in a coma...  
At least he hasn't had any more cardiac seizures since that day. His  
brain's electric activity is stable thanks to the new electrolytic fluids we've  
been administrating to him. I think all his system wanted was some potassium  
and sodium after all."  
  
She turned to look at the kat in the bed and sighed. "He's so young! It would   
be a shame if he died now... He has an entire life ahead of him..." She shook her   
head and left the room.  
  
Felina walked to the side of the bed and took a good look at the kat.  
Even under the white sheet she could see clearly his powerful muscles. His  
fur was now cleaned of the dry blood and new fur was growing where the  
scorched areas had been shorn off.  
  
"You know what, cous'?" - she said to the comatose kat - "You're kinda  
cute, you know?"  
  
She caressed the kat's snout with her forefinger. When she touched his  
whiskers, the kat twitched his nose. She took off her finger, startled.  
  
"Am I seeing things?" - she asked herself and touched his whiskers  
again.  
  
Again, his nose twitched. There was no doubt! He was getting his  
reflexes back. She reached for her communicator and pressed a button on it.  
  
"This is Lieutenant Feral. Do you copy, Commander?"  
  
The radio crackled and a grave voice responded.  
  
"This is Commander Feral. What is it, Lieutenant?"  
  
"Uncle, you'd better come to one-oh-nine, now!"  
  
"I'm on my way. Feral out!"  
  
The radio crackled one final time and then went blank. Felina returned  
her attentions to his cousin again. He seemed to be having  
rapid-eye-movements now.  
  
Feral came within a few minutes.  
  
"What is it, Felina? Did something happen to him?" - he asked, his  
voice showing true concern.  
  
"Easy, uncle! Well, something is *definitely* happening to him! I think  
he's waking up!" - she said, pointing to the kat's eyes. They were still  
closed but movement could be seen under his eyelids.  
  
"He's having REM!" - Feral said, stroking his chin. - "As if he was  
in a deep sleep..."  
  
He took the kat's right paw in his and felt it squeeze his paw tightly.  
  
"He's coming to consciousness! It seems like he's gonna wake up any  
second now! How can that be?"  
  
Feral managed to withdraw his paw from the tight grip of the tom-kat's  
paw. The other's entire body started squirming under the sheet now.  
  
"It seems like he's having a nightmare! If it's so, he *really* may  
wake up any second now!" - Felina said. She placed one paw on her uncle's left  
shoulder and faced him - "Remember, uncle! He doesn't know you're his father so  
act as if you didn't know he's your son either! We don't want to confuse him right  
off. Okay, uncle?"  
  
"I don't think I'm ready to tell him the truth yet, Felina." - he  
shrugged - "I even think it would be better for all of us if we just left things  
the way they were..."  
  
Felina faced her uncle with an intense gaze.  
  
"I didn't said that! You have to tell him the truth, uncle! He has the  
right to know he has a family! I'm just asking you not to hug him right away  
when he regains consciousness..."  
  
Feral wiped her paw off his shoulder as his face acquired a rock-hard  
look.  
  
"I thought you'd know me better than that, Lieutenant! You should know  
I'd give no one a hug!"  
  
His attention was drawn back to the bed. The kat was now mumbling  
something almost inaudibly.  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
"No... Gotta bail... Building... Look out... Bleeding... No... Too  
fast... Too damaged... Hurt... So much... No... No..."  
  
"*NO*!" - The brawny kat sat up in the bed, but a sharp pain on the left  
side of his chest made him groan and sink into the bed again.  
  
He looked around him, his eyes still unfocused. He saw two shadows, one  
big and one smaller. The smaller one came to him and a sound came to his  
ears, but he couldn't discern what it was. A few seconds passed before he  
started comprehending that those muffled sounds he was hearing were words. By  
that time, the big shadow, now a little more trimmed in his vision, stood by his  
left side but it didn't speak.  
  
He thought he recognized the voice of the smaller shadow. It was a  
feminine voice and he knew he had already heard her somewhere. His hearing  
and his vision were slowly returning to normal. From his left side, the big  
shadow spoke for the first time.  
  
"Wake up already! We don't have all day, you know?"  
  
He recognized that voice too! Only a few moments later did he remember  
the name of the owner of that grave tone. And, that comment could have  
come from none other than...  
  
"Commander... Feral?" - he said in a raspy voice. His throat was as dry  
as a sub-tropical desert. It was hard for him to speak. "Is... that... you?"  
  
"I see you're well already. I can't wait to have you out of my  
infirmary and into Alkatraz, which is where *you* belong!"  
  
He pointed a finger at the kat's face. Having recovered almost entirely  
now, the kat couldn't help jerking his head toward Feral's finger,  
trying to bite it. Feral withdrew his finger just as the kat's jaws closed, barely  
missing him.  
  
"You *reckless hotshot*!" - he bellowed - "I should have you *shot* for  
that!"  
  
"Easy, uncle!" - Felina soothed - "Maybe it's better for you to go to  
your office and let me handle this, okay?"  
  
"Just get this *clown* out of here as soon as possible!" He spun on his heel and   
walked to the door, opening it. "I expect a detailed report on my desk tomorrow,   
first thing in the morning, Lieutenant!"  
  
He then slammed the door shut with all his strength, almost causing the  
door knob to slide off its place.   
  
Felina saluted the door with an emphatic 'Yes, Sir' and then turned to her cousin.  
  
"I wonder what you did to tick him off the second you made eye contact  
with him..." - she said to the brawny kat, who just shrugged.   
  
He grimaced when he did that.   
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine!"  
  
He tried to lift himself, but the sharp pain in his chest stopped him  
and he sank again into the bed with a grimace of pain.   
  
She put a paw on his bare chest.  
  
"Allow me to disagree with you!" - she said as she ran her gloved paw  
over his left chest. An unwanted purr rumbled almost inaudibly in his throat.  
Then, she found what she was looking for.  
  
"Remember this?" - she said, pointing to a circular wound in his lower  
left chest.   
  
He groaned a little when she touched it with her gloved paw.  
  
"I remember!" - he just said, gently taking her paw off the wound. The  
burning feeling faded a little but didn't disappear completely.  
  
"It looks like a bullet entered your body through there. And, I  
didn't find any exit wound so it must be still inside you." - she said as  
she petted his whiskers.  
  
He looked uncomfortable with her actions. She didn't seem like the same  
Felina he knew, the friend that always helped him out. Although he couldn't say  
he disliked this new Felina... Even so, he couldn't allow her to have false hopes.  
He once again gently took her paws away from him.  
  
"It's still inside me. As far as I can feel, it's really near my heart."  
He groped his ribs, searching. "I thought I had broken a rib, but I can't feel it!"  
  
"Actually, you were checked in with five broken ribs, several bleeding  
wounds, scorched fur and skin and lots of bruises." - she said as she stepped  
away from him. "Fortunately, you have an amazing healing ability! Your ribs are nearly  
completely solidified again and your wounds healed in the first two weeks."  
  
That comment made him prick his hears.  
  
"In the first two weeks?" - he repeated - "How long have I been out?" -  
he asked, looking at her face intensely.  
  
"You haven't been just out! You were in a coma, deeply, for an entire  
month!"  
  
He widened his eyes and opened his mouth in disbelief. "An entire *month*? I   
gotta get outta here!"  
  
He threw the sheet off and raised himself, trying to ignore the sharp  
pain.   
  
Felina hurried to him. "Are you nuts?" - she said, pushing him down again -   
"You're not completely healed yet! And we have to extract that bullet you have in your   
chest! You're right, it's right beside your heart so if we don't move it, it could   
perforate your lung even more or even contact with your heart!"  
  
He knew she was right. That bullet had to be extracted or he'd never  
have a normal life again...  
  
If he could say he had a normal life!  
  
"I'll talk to the surgeons right away. Let's see if we can get you in  
surgery today!"  
  
"S-surgery?"  
  
He gulped and shuddered a little. Just the thought of it scared the  
heck out of his tail.  
  
"Don't tell me a tough tom-kat like you is afraid of a few bistouries!"  
- she teased him, giving him a mocking grin.  
  
"Who? Me? Nah!" - he said, giving her his trademark smirk. - "Just tell  
'em not to be too invasive, will you?"  
  
"Will do. Meanwhile, try to rest! You need it!"  
  
She waved her paw at him and shut the door. The tom-kat pulled the  
sheet over his chest and stared out the window at the sun setting outside.  
  
He suddenly remembered something. He searched his head and relief filled  
his face when he felt the fabric. It was still there! He gave a loud  
sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, his grin disappearing from his snout.  
  
"I wonder if he survived!"  
  
His ears flattened against his head and he gave a low growl as his eyes  
narrowed.  
  
"Crud... If anything's happened to him, I *swear* I'll kill that  
bastard with my own fists..."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Sulfur, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water vapor..." - the bulky  
purple kat slowly mumbled while staring into the lava pit in front of  
him.  
  
"That's why it's called lava and not magma when it rises to the  
surface... It's amazing how I don't succumb to these noxious fumes... Just one  
sniff would be enough to make any kat dizzy... However, I am immune to these volcanic  
exhalations... My masters *surely* created the true prowler of Death... and I must   
admit they did a perfect job..."  
  
Dark Kat closed his eyes and savored his memories.  
  
Sound... the wind swirling in the sand, raising dust clouds all around  
him. Then, the unmistakable sound of metal against metal, sword against sword.  
  
Smell... the pungent odor of decaying corpses, the very smell of Death,  
blended with a soft ferruginous scent.  
  
Touch... his feet burrowing ever further in the bloody corpses  
scattered on the ground, the tight grip of his paw on his sword, the gushes of  
blood from his opponents hitting his face and chest.  
  
Taste... the perspiration dropping from his forehead and onto his lips,  
the bitter-metallic flavor of his prey's vital fluid as he licked it out  
of his face.  
  
Sight... the breathtaking sight of his masters shattering the stone and  
clay houses with one swipe, their black undefined forms blending with  
the darkness of the night, the mask of fear and pain his victims bore before  
the coup-de-grace.  
  
Pleasure... the perfidious, wicked and sickening joy of torturing the  
few survivors until they pleaded for Death to claim their ripped souls.  
  
Thrill... the rush of adrenaline before each battle, before each slash,  
before each torture session.  
  
Power... the power his masters granted him, a power so immense that the  
entire katkind would tremble if it ever heard his name, for it certainly  
meant the death of the entire population.  
  
"Milord Dark Kat?" - Mutilor called his leader tentatively.  
  
Dark Kat slowly opened his eyes, returning to the present day reality  
and leaving his obnoxious memories behind.  
  
"Soon they will be memories no more..." - he thought. He turned his  
gaze to Mutilor, who shuddered a little. - "What is it, Mutilor?" - Dark Kat  
asked, his deep voice rumbling in the humid basalt walls of his 'throne room'.  
  
Mutilor bowed to the huge kat, settling one knee on the ground and  
lowering his head. Only then he spoke.  
  
"The drones are ready, milord Dark Kat. They await your royal  
visitation in the hangar."  
  
A rush of adrenaline lit the purple kat's orange eyes. Finally, the end  
was very near... The end... of katkind...  
  
"Let's see the jets." - he rumbled as he raised himself from his  
obsidian 'throne' and crossed the basalt bridge over the lava pit.  
  
He stopped midway out on the rocky bridge and stuck an arm out off  
it, into the intense heat emanating from the churning lava below. His  
clothes began to burn and he left the bridge. He put out the fire with his   
cloak and stared at his brawny purple arm.  
  
The fur was scorched but his skin remained undamaged.  
  
The burnt fur dropped freely and was immediately replaced by new purple  
fur. Mutilor had his mouth open wide in disbelief. Dark Kat passed by him  
and headed for the hangar. Only a few seconds later did Mutilor recover enough from  
his bewilderment and race behind his master.  
  
When they reached the hangar, twenty drones of two different sizes and  
shapes stood lined up with Dark Kat's Doomsday Express. Mutilor hurried to  
explain the differences between the two types of drones.  
  
"Allow me a little explanation, milord. The smaller drones you see  
here..." He pointed to his right with one of his two right arms, indicating  
ten round-shaped aircraft the size of a small car. "...are 'Mutilators' and   
are meant to inflict damage on any offender and eventually destroy it. The   
bigger drones..."  
  
He now pointed to his left, towards ten jet-looking drones the size of  
a pick-up truck. "... are the 'Destroyers', which are programmed to destroy   
at first sight. The first ones will make good watchdogs while the later  
will be our warriors." - Mutilor finished with a smile on his snout.   
  
Dark Kat, however, seemed unimpressed.  
  
"Specifications." - he ordered. Mutilor began talking about the weapons  
systems.  
  
"Besides missiles and bullets, they all are equipped with lasers made  
of prasium and not ruby, like the ones this planet developed. As you might  
know, alpha-prasium is nothing more than quartz with a few inclusions of  
amphibole and chlorite, which gives it its greenish color. Now, the trigonal  
arrangement of the silica tetrahedrons..."  
  
"Skip it!" - Dark Kat growled - "I know what alpha-prasium is. Is it  
more effective than the usual ruby laser or not?" - he shot to Mutilor, who  
gulped and answered in a tentative voice.  
  
"T-they are about twenty times more effective. That's why I had to coat  
their chambers with gold, to prevent any burned-out system due to the  
power of its beam."  
  
"Good..." - the immense purple kat purred - "What about their hull?"  
  
"Agrecite-Beryllium-Aluminum mega-alloy." - Mutilor said, proudly -  
"Strong and light. It was almost a physical impossibility to build something  
that way, but the ABA mega-alloy solved the problem! The drones are extremely  
maneuverable and their hull can withstand any attack!"  
  
"We'll see about that."  
  
Dark Kat headed for the cage in a remote corner of the hangar and  
released the agrecite scorpion. The huge beast followed his master back to the  
drones.  
  
"Shatter it!" - the purple kat ordered.  
  
The scorpion lunged toward one of the 'Destroyers', pincers snapping in  
the air. The scorpion bit the wing of the big drone and his four pincers  
pinched the cockpit and rear stabilizers again and again.   
  
A few minutes later, Dark Kat called the scorpion back, caging it again. He then   
inspected the attacked 'Destroyer' and this time, the purple kat seemed impressed.  
  
The drone didn't have a scratch on its hull! He tried to lift the  
jet-like drone with his own paws and was amazed to discover how light   
it was! He walked back to Mutilor, a devilish grin appearing on his   
almost featureless purple face.  
  
"You worked well, Mutilor. As it was required, after all. But tell me.  
How accurate are their attacks?"  
  
"W-what do you mean? What do you intend to attack?" - the  
orange-spotted alien tentatively asked.   
  
Dark Kat's eyes blazed and remained lit.  
  
"The Turbokat!" - he simply answered. He gave an inquiring gaze to  
Mutilor who shook his head yes.  
  
"Consider the Turbokat a piece of seared metal, milord Dark Kat!" - the  
four-armed creep answered.   
  
Dark Kat broke out in loud laughter, so horrifying that even the agrecite   
scorpion burrowed his bulk deeper in the darkest corner of its cage.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
Jake stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist.  
The cold water did a good job of calming him down. He shook his body a little more  
in order to rinse the remaining water from his damp fur. Grabbing another towel he  
rubbed his entire body and, when he finished, his fur was somewhat dryer but still  
damp.  
  
He had to apologize to Turmoil. He shouldn't have acted like that just  
because she said she could take care of them both. Of course she knew he wasn't  
a kitten anymore! He wondered why he always got so irritated when someone cared  
for him. Maybe because it reminded him of his parents.  
  
By the way, it had been ages since the last time he had spoken to his folks  
back home. They must be worried sick! He took a mental note to phone them  
that evening while he was drying and combing his fur. He then headed for his room  
and put on a shirt and a pair of jeans.  
  
Coming to the living room, he saw Turmoil close the garage for the  
night. She never stopped to amaze him. Not only was she a good pilot and fighter,  
she was also a reasonable mechanic and, above all, a good friend, which was  
everything he had needed during the past month. She was always there for him when he woke  
up in the night, startled by his nightmares. She comforted him when he was down,  
overwhelmed by the ominous feeling he was betraying Chance.  
  
And she helped him rebuilding the Turbokat. The fighter jet was now  
better than ever! Jake had used ABA mega-alloy he salvaged from a few  
prototype helicopters Pumadyne had developed but, for some reason, all crashed  
down, meaning they were useless to the Enforcers. He wanted to do so as the old  
agrecite alloy didn't protect them from the bullets of Dark Kat's drones. He also  
managed to enhance the Speed of Heat turbine performance up to 35% of their previous boost.  
  
"Did you calm down now, sureshot?" - Turmoil asked him, leaning against a  
car she was fixing and cleaning her paws on the cloth she took off from a  
rear pocket in her overalls.   
  
Jake shook his head yes.  
  
"I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I treated you this afternoon,  
when we arrived. I was a complete jerk." - he said, looking sheepishly to her.  
  
She sighed and smiled to him.  
  
"Why do you always underestimate yourself, Jake? You weren't a jerk at  
all! I was! I shouldn't have teased you when it was perfectly clear you were  
angry with Dark Kat. I should be the one to apologize, not you."  
  
"I guess we're settled, then. You closed for the night?" - he asked,  
changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah. It's already past dusk. I don't think there'll be more customers."  
  
Just as she said it, someone knocked at the garage door.  
  
"Jake? Chance? Are you there?" - said a female voice from outside.  
  
Jake ran to the door and opened it. He was partially blinded by the  
headlights of Callie's car and raised his paw to shield his eyes from the beams  
of light.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Jake!" - she turned to the car and killed the headlamps.  
  
"Hi, Callie! What brings you here at this hour?" - his heart pounded  
heavily in his chest.  
  
"I'm sorry to bother you guys but this baby coughed all the way from  
Katalina Station. I wonder if you could take a look at it in the morning." - she  
said.   
  
Turmoil came to their side.  
  
"Why don't you let me see it now, Miss Briggs?" - she said - "Maybe you  
can take it home tonight if it's a simple thing."  
  
She looked suspiciously at the slim she-kat.  
  
"Chance? What happened to you?"  
  
Only then did she recognize Turmoil and gasped. -"T-Turmoil? What is she doing here?   
Is she holding you hostage, Jake?"  
  
She backed up a step. Jake took her arm in his paw, asking himself how he found the   
courage to do so. She looked at him, fear in her face. It broke his heart to see her   
like that. He wanted to hold her in his arms and cherish her, reassuring her everything   
was all right but couldn't find the bravery for that.  
  
"Relax, Callie! She's just helping me with the garage while Chance is  
out of town!"  
  
She seemed to calm down a little and managed to ask how she was there.  
  
"She came to us. No one in Megakat City would want her. Chance and I  
felt sorry for her and we decided she could stay here while Chance was gone.  
That's the whole story."  
  
"I already paid my debt to society, Miss Briggs. I've spent five years  
in that hell called Alkatraz and I don't intend to go back there! Now,  
Jake, why don't you take Miss Briggs to the living room and give her some milk  
while I check on her car?"  
  
Jake took Callie to the kitchen and retrieved two cans of milk from the  
refrigerator. He went to the cupboard and looked for a glass to pour the  
milk in.  
  
"It's okay, Jake!" - Callie said - "I prefer to drink it right from the  
can, if you don't mind." - she said, grabbing the cold can in her right paw  
and piercing two holes on top of it with the claw on her thumb.   
  
Jake joined her and both kats drank some milk in silence.  
  
"So, what were you doing down in Katalina Station, Callie?" - he asked  
casually.  
  
She answered with the same thing she said to Razor that afternoon.  
  
"The festivities just ended a short while ago. I'm pooped!"  
  
She seemed to want to say something but couldn't find a way to say it.  
Jake noted the look on her face and helped her.  
  
"Is there anything you want to say?"  
  
She looked over her shoulder to see if Turmoil wasn't listening to them  
and then she sighed, releasing all the air in her lungs before she started.  
  
"It's Turmoil, Jake... Tell me one thing... and be honest, like you  
always are with me. Do you trust her?"  
  
"I trust her since she first came to us. Chance trusts her too. And she  
hasn't given me any reason yet for not."  
  
He sipped some more milk from his can and peered at Callie. She seemed  
to relax a little bit more.  
  
"Well, I'm glad I was wrong about her..."  
  
She turned her gaze to the ground and Jake could see her blushing a bit  
under her pale fur.  
  
"Well... There's something else I've been wanting to ask you... and I'm  
counting on your sincerity again..."  
  
"What is it, Callie?" - Jake asked uneasily. His mind raced.  
Had she discovered his double identity?  
Had she discovered he and Razor were the same kat?  
Had she discovered who the SWAT Kats were?  
  
She blushed a little more and started saying something when Turmoil  
appeared at the kitchen door.  
  
"I know what's wrong with... Oops! Did I interrupt something?" - she  
asked when she saw the looks on both kats' faces.   
  
Callie straightened up from the chair and faced Turmoil.  
  
"Not at all, Turmoil. You were saying?" - Callie asked as Jake came to  
her side.  
  
"I know what was wrong with your car. It was really simple! You just  
forgot to change the oil! I've already done that and the car's purring like a  
kitten now!" - she said as she scrubbed her paws on the cloth.  
  
Callie smacked herself in her forehead.  
  
"Of course! I saw the oil level this morning but I completely forgot  
it! All because of 'his honor' and his new statue's dedication!" - she snarled  
in disgust - "I'm sorry to have bothered you for such a puny thing! I'm really  
embarrassed!"  
  
"Hey, it was a pleasure!" - Turmoil said, grinning - "And, I think Jake  
feels the same way too!"  
  
"Huh... Yeah... Sure... You know you're always welcome here, Callie!" -  
he babbled as he suddenly was brought back from his thoughts.  
  
"Well, I should be going now. It's getting kinda late and I guess you  
must want to rest... So... I'll be seeing you..."  
  
She stepped into the car and drove out of the salvage yard.  
  
"I didn't interrupt anything, did I, Jake?" - Turmoil asked him as she  
closed the garage door again.  
  
"She was going to ask me something... I don't know what... But I  
started thinking she might have discovered who the SWAT Kats really are..."- he  
said, thoughtfully rubbing his chin.  
  
"What makes you think that? You didn't gave away any clues when you  
talked with her this afternoon!" - she asked back, leaning on the tow-truck.  
  
"Maybe you're right... Maybe I *am* getting paranoid... All this about Dark Kat's   
creeplings here in the salvage yard has made me suspicious of everything..." - he   
said as he shook his head and closed his eyes.  
  
"Speaking of whom, when do we attack that creep, anyway?" - she asked,  
smacking her right fist into her left palm.  
  
"There's nothing we can do about that right now! I don't know where  
he's hiding! The ball's in his court now! He has to play his next move...  
and, when he does it, we'll be right on top of him... to whip his tail and send  
him to his grave..." - Jake said, growling and narrowing his eyes.  
  
Turmoil looked a little bit surprised. She wanted to finish off Dark  
Kat too, but that wouldn't be the SWAT Kats' way... Now Jake wanted to kill  
him too...  
  
Although his reasons were understandable, she began thinking like a  
SWAT Kat when she joined Jake and she thought now that even Dark Kat had the  
right to stand a fair trial.  
  
"He may get life sentence for everything he did... or even the capital  
penalty..." - she thought - "We'd be saving the taxpayers the cost of a  
trial if we'd kill him right away but that wouldn't be fair... I stood trial  
and I was convicted... And, that hell was far worse then dying... The only  
reason I didn't commit suicide was you, Chance... Like that old song says,  
'you light up my life, you give me hope to carry on, you light up my days and   
fill my nights with dawn..."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The night had set in. In Feral's private infirmary, the big kat looked  
at  
the moon slowly rising in the horizon. His eyes blazed like coal on fire  
as the  
silver light penetrated in his pupils. He was trying to set his thoughts  
in order,  
trying to figure out what happened to him. He could only say the Holy  
Kats had  
laid their paw over him, shielding him from the terrible accident.  
Felina entered  
the darkened room, letting some of the light outside to invade it.  
  
"Close the door, please." - he asked softly - "Don't turn on the  
lights.  
I like it that way."  
  
She did as he asked. She sat on the bed next to him.  
  
"Lieutenant, I want to ask you something."  
  
"Shoot!" - she replied.  
  
He looked outside again, towards the rising moon. His voice was still  
raspy, but he could speak much better now.  
  
"How did you find me? And, don't spare me the sordid details, please. I  
want to know exactly how I was when I was found."  
  
He kept his face looking out the window, his eyes following the silver  
orb  
in its slow ascent in the dark skies. She cleared her throat and began  
talking.  
  
"I must say we looked for you almost three days in a row. You were  
lying in  
an alley, half covered with junk. I barely saw you. I just noticed a  
strange  
looking lump on one corner of the alley. Then, I saw something that  
grabbed my  
attention.  
  
Blood.  
  
Running from the lump. I ran to you and took off the sheets of  
newspaper  
and the garbage away from you. You were standing in fetal position with  
your  
right side up. I turned you so you'd be lying in your back. Believe me,  
you  
weren't a sight for weak stomachs. You were banged up pretty bad.  
  
There was a nasty wound in your left arm that was bleeding like hell.  
Your face was all cut up and soaked in blood. Your chest was bleeding  
too  
but most of it was burnt and so were your legs. Your right thigh had a  
shard  
of metal riveted in it. Needless to say it was bleeding like hell too.  
Apart  
from those major wounds, your body was scratched in several places and  
your  
skin was as purple in some places as Dark Kat's fur.  
  
After three days in those conditions, I wondered if you were still  
alive but you were. Your heart was still beating and, though labored,  
you  
were breathing nevertheless. I didn't know if you had any internal  
injuries  
but you had to be removed. I took you to my uncle's private infirmary so  
  
you could have a little more privacy. The doctors who watched for you  
found  
five ribs broken, your right shoulder and your right ankle dislocated.  
Apparently, your constitution and your bones protected your internal  
organs  
from being damaged. And that's the whole setting." - she finished with a  
low  
sigh.  
  
A tear dropped from her right eye and she wiped it out immediately,  
hoping he didn't see it.  
  
He didn't.  
  
He was still staring at the moon, now almost completely out of the  
window frame.  
  
"I guess I *really* should thank the Holy Kats for not letting me die  
of blood loss. And the doctors here," - he purred - "And you. Thank you,  
Felina. You saved my life. I'm eternally thankful to you... and to Feral..."  
  
That last comment caught her off guard. He sensed it.  
  
"Yes, Feral too. I gotta admit it, if he really wanted me dead all he  
had to do was to refuse my stay in here. I must thank him too."  
  
He sighed loudly and grimaced. The pain in his chest returned,  
reminding him he wasn't safe yet.  
  
"By the way, when will the butchers chop me?" - he asked, grinning at  
Felina.  
  
She returned his grin and answered in a low voice.  
  
"They say it may be too early to chop you, as you put it. You just  
slipped out of a coma. On the other paw, they say they can't wait too much  
longer, that bullet's been inside you for thirty days already. They said it   
would be better for you to rest another week, so they would have time to run the proper  
tests on you and verify everything's in order. Then, in a week, they will  
remove the bullet from your lung. Are you having trouble breathing?"  
  
"Only when I laugh..." - he answered.  
  
She couldn't help to smile. It was never boring being with that  
tom-kat.  
  
"Get some rest now." - she said as she checked the bottle of  
physiologic serum. It was dripping at a satisfying rate.  
  
She leaned over to him and gently kissed his forehead.  
  
"Sleep well." - she stated as she departed.   
  
He wished the same for her.  
  
"Good night to you too, buddy." - he thought - "I woke up just a few  
hours ago and I'm missing you already... I just hope you're okay..."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Viper shuddered a bit when Dark Kat entered the laboratory he had built  
for him in a lava tube inside the volcano.  
  
The lab was equipped with every bit of scientific artillery Viper could  
think of. It was even better than his own laboratory back in Megakat  
Swamp.  
  
Freezers, a hotte, a centrifuge, a spectrophotometer, a gene sequencer,  
three supercomputers attached to the sequencer and to the spectrophotometer,  
all the glass material and, of course, all the required organic and  
inorganic chemical compounds, including the rare biochemical compounds known as  
katalyst 100, katalyst X63 and Viper Mutagen 368 were part of the lab's contents.  
  
"My dear Dr. Viper." - Dark Kat purred as he got closer to the  
reptilian scientist. He laid a huge paw on Viper's right shoulder. Viper shuddered   
a little, which pleased the bulky kat. "How is your research going?"  
  
"Very well, sssir." - Viper managed to say, pointing to a beaker  
containing a dark blue liquid  
  
"Although I haven't been able to develop the adminissstration mode of  
the ssserum to your requessst, I am now pleasssed to tell you, sssir, that  
it can be injected in the bloodssstream, causssing the sssame effect."  
  
He ventured to look to Dark Kat but the purple kat's face remained  
expressionless. The green kat expected the worst.  
  
"It is an enhancement, nevertheless." - Dark Kat said, tightening his  
grip on Viper's shoulder until it hurt. "But I want more! I want it developed to   
be effective through inhalation. You've been tinkering with the serum for the past   
month day and night. I *don't* believe you stepped forward so little. You're hiding   
something from me, Viper! I feel it in my bones!"  
  
He dug his claws on the reptilian scientist's shoulder, ripping it.  
  
"If I find out you're betraying me, I will have no mercy this time! You  
will be incinerated alive in the lava pit in front of my throne!"   
  
He released his grip on Viper's shoulder. The lab coat was stained green at his   
scapula.  
  
"But to prove you I'm merciful, I will wait thirty more days for the  
developed serum. If it isn't ready by then, there are more biochemists  
in this city I can replace you with."  
  
He took a syringe from his cloak and filled it with the serum Viper  
said could be injected in the bloodstream.  
  
"Let's see if it works like you said. Give me your arm."  
  
Viper extended his left arm while his reptilian healing abilities were  
taking care of the severed shoulder already.  
  
Dark Kat stuck the needle in one of Viper's arteries and pushed the  
embolus. The blue serum was injected and Viper shivered for a while, losing   
consciousness a little while later.   
  
A devilish grin appeared on Dark Kat's face. He left the scientist and returned   
to his 'throne room'.  
  
A short while after the purple kat's departure, Viper opened his eyes  
and rose from the floor.  
  
"That wasss a clossse one!" - he thought to himself - "I can't let Dark  
Kat know what I've been doing here..."  
  
He went to the lab bench and opened a drawer. He retrieved the syringe  
from the wrap of plastic and stuck it in one of the arteries on his arm.  
  
He retrieved 20 cc's of his green blood and dropped exactly five cc's  
in each of four clean test tubes. He closed them and inserted two in the  
slots of the centrifuge, each in the opposite direction of the other. Closing the  
lid, the green kat programmed the machine to 3000 rpm and 5 minutes.  
  
While it was centrifuging, Viper diluted the other two samples in  
distilled water in order to disrupt his blood cells. He retrieved the first tubes  
and then placed the other two tubes on the centrifuge and let them rotate at 3000  
rpm for 5 minutes.  
  
The first two tubes showed a separation of his blood cells. There was a  
clear liquid on top and a green liquid in the bottom, which made about 40% of  
the total volume.  
  
When the centrifuge stopped, he retrieved the second two test tubes.  
There was a clear solution in them.  
  
He filled a spectrophotometer cuvette with distilled water in order to  
calibrate the reading for null absorbency. He then inserted a cuvette  
with the solution of his blood and determined the absorption specter for his  
blood from 450 to 700 nanometers, with intervals of 10 nm.  
  
He headed for the computer's keyboard and struck a few keys. On the  
screen a graphic was shown. The graphic had two spikes, one at 540 nm and the  
other at 580 nm.  
  
Viper frowned.  
  
"Everything'sss normal! My red... hmm... green blood cellsss have the  
right proportion, my white blood cellsss were in a thin layer above them and I  
have enough plasssma. The peaksss on the absssorbency graphic tell me my  
hemoglobin isss perfectly functional." - he shook his head.  
  
"I don't get it! The neurological ssserum isss ineffective on me and  
I'm posssitive my blood hasss sssomething to do with that. But  
everything'sss normal! Wait... Wait a minute... That'sss it! Everything'sss normal...  
for a kat! I'm a *mutated* kat, ssso everything'sss wrong with me!  
  
Yesss!  
  
Now that I think of it, my metabolisssm should have ssslowed down...  
However, I ssstill need thessse large amounts of hemoglobin... Maybe  
that'sss it!"  
  
Viper returned to the lab bench, tail waving crazily in the air.  
  
"It mussst be it! I've found it! The antidote to the neurological  
ssserum! Watch out, Dark Kat! Dr. Viper may be down but he'sss not out!"  
  
He gave a dry chuckle and returned to his work.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Jake sat upright suddenly in the bed, shivering and covered in  
perspiration.  
  
Another nightmare...  
  
At least he hadn't screamed this time, waking up Turmoil. He shook his  
head and leaned it against his knees, embracing them.  
  
This time, it had been the most frightful nightmare of all he had since  
the crash. T-Bone died again, but not by accident or by any of Megakat City's  
villains.  
  
This time, *Razor* had cold-bloodedly assassinated T-Bone.  
  
He shuddered again with that thought.  
  
What was going on?  
Why did he have this nightmare?  
Why did he kill his best friend?  
Why did he murder his 'brother'?  
  
Tears dropped from his shut eyes.  
  
"Why this?"  
  
Dark Kat killing his friend was one thing, but *him*... murdering T-Bone  
cold-bloodedly...  
  
He couldn't bear to think about it.  
  
And, he couldn't get back to sleep either. He stepped out of the bed as  
silently as he could. He took his mechanic overalls and exited the room, trying  
not to wake up Turmoil. He dressed in the living room and headed for the garage,  
where he dug under the hood of the car, trying to fix it and to keep his mind busy.  
  
Although Jake was silent, Turmoil was awake. She woke up when Jake was  
still having his nightmare and squirming under the sheet. She heard him  
sitting up in the bed and his labored breathing while tears were dropping from his  
eyes. She felt her heart shrink when she heard that.  
  
Though hard tom-kat he was, Jake didn't hide his feelings like many  
others that she had known, Chance included.  
  
All it took was a careful eye to spot it. She felt an urge to comfort  
him, but then she heard him leaving the room. Her eyes welling up in pity for him,  
but the tears never slid down.  
  
It was a different kind of love that bonded Jake and Chance, she  
thought.  
  
A love much, much stronger than any other kind, even stronger than the  
passion she had for Chance.  
  
It was brotherly love.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
The dawn came unannounced. The first morning rays hit the big kat in  
the face. He was already awake. A nightmare had robbed his sleep. It was one  
of the few times he saw the sunrise in Megakat City.  
  
It was a breathtaking sight, the red orb turning golden as it passed by  
the twin skyscrapers of Megakat Trade Towers, the skies turning from black  
and dark blue to purple and red and then, finally, to yellow and green.  
  
Four days had elapsed since he woke up from his coma. Today was the big  
day, when he would be submitted to surgery. The doctors tested him in a  
hundred different ways. He was almost fully recovered. He was doing so fine they  
decided to operate him a little bit earlier than expected. Although he was  
calmer than he expected, the nightmare had startled him a bit.  
  
In it he saw his friend on an operating table instead of him, his chest  
fully opened. The doctors were massaging his heart manually, something that only  
rarely happened and he knew it.  
  
It had stopped beating after the battle his friend had with Dark Kat  
and the doctors weren't able to restore its rhythm now. The electrocardiograph  
was showing a line.  
  
They gave up a little later.  
  
Then, the big kat woke up. The worst thing, besides seeing his best  
friend die, was the helpless feeling he had. He couldn't do anything to help and  
it was terrifying. His thoughts were interrupted when Feral and Felina entered  
the room.  
  
"I didn't hear you knock, commander, but you know you're welcome  
anytime!" he said sardonically and grinned. He couldn't help it. It seemed like  
it was in his genes.   
  
Feral's stone-hard face hardened even more, if that was possible.  
  
"You jerk!" - he said and gave him a little grin. - "I thought you'd  
like to know I ordered the doctors to assassinate you when you're under the  
anesthesia!"  
  
"Uncle!" - Felina said. She knew he was kidding, something she had never expected   
her uncle to do. "Don't scare him off, will you?"  
  
"Scare *him*? Ha! I thought he wasn't afraid of *anything*!  
  
"Lieutenant! You're embarrassing me!" - the brawny kat said with half  
a grin on his snout.  
  
"So, is this the time when I go to the slaughter-house and get  
chopped?"  
  
Feral couldn't help to smile, but he was facing the window so he was  
sure the big kat didn't see it.  
  
"You bet!" - he said from his standpoint - "I'd help, but I didn't  
bring my white coat, so I guess I'll leave it to my insiders."  
  
"*Uncle*!" - Felina warned him a second time, this time with a more  
fierce tone in her voice.  
  
The nurses came and took the big kat out of his bed and onto a  
stretcher, pushing him out of Feral's infirmary and into the operating room. When the  
nurses stopped to open the doors to the sterilized room, the big kat grinned to  
Feral and his niece, who had accompanied him.  
  
"If someone cares to say goodbye to me, I think the time is now."  
  
Felina reassured him everything was going to be okay  
  
"*Now* you really got me worried, Lieutenant!" - he said.  
  
"You clown..." - she kissed two fingers and placed them on the kat's  
forehead.  
  
Feral came by and grabbed him tightly by his shoulder.  
  
"We'll be waiting for you to return safe and sound, soldier. Good  
luck."  
  
He backed away from the stretcher and saluted him. The big kat was too  
stunned by Feral's actions to salute him back. In a few seconds, the doors  
closed and he disappeared inside the operating room.  
  
"I hope he returns well. Although he is a hotshot jerk, anyway." -  
Feral said and walked down the corridor toward his office with Felina behind him.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
The brawny kat stared at the featureless ceiling of the operations  
room. He had never felt so helpless as in those few minutes that preceded the surgery  
procedure.  
  
He was shivering, whether it was from the cold metallic table  
underneath him or with fear, he couldn't tell.  
  
A silver-furred tom-kat came to him and spoke in a soothing tone.  
  
"I'm Dr. Conrad and I'll be your anesthetist for today. How are we  
doing today?" - he said while he was filling a syringe with a diaphanous  
liquid.  
  
"F-fine... W-why d-don't you t-turn on t-the heat? It's f-f-freezing in  
here!" - he said, shivering.  
  
Dr. Conrad smiled and rubbed a spot on the brawny left arm of the kat  
with a piece of cotton wool soaked in disinfectant.  
  
"You'll feel a lot better after this, I can assure you. Now relax,  
please."  
  
He relaxed his muscles and the needle penetrated easily in his artery.  
The liquid entered his bloodstream and its effects began a few minutes  
after. He relaxed even more, a sense of sleepiness began overwhelming him.  
  
His eyes unfocused. He began seeing blurred forms come to him. He knew  
they were kats but he couldn't discern who they were.  
  
And it didn't seem to matter, anyway. Nothing seemed to matter now.  
  
He looked to the big form in front of him, directly in its face.  
  
That was odd!  
  
It seemed like the face was purple. To his right he saw something  
peculiar too. A green face!  
  
How could that be?  
  
The back of his mind was screaming for him to react, to wake up.  
  
But it didn't matter now.  
  
Nothing mattered for him now.  
  
He closed his eyes and let the sleepiness overthrow his consciousness.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Finally, I've finissshed a batch of the antidote." - Viper said as he  
emptied the content of an Erlenmeyer beaker into a flask.  
  
The liquid had a rusty transparent color that contrasted vividly with  
the developed serum, which was now bright translucent blue.  
  
Now, I can pleassse Dark Kat with hisss ssserum. He won't win now that I  
have the antidote."  
  
The green scientist gave a dry chuckle while he settled the bottle  
inside a wood case along with another nine and nailed it. He suddenly heard a  
squeak and the sound of glass breaking. He spun his head and saw three of Dark  
Kat's creeplings rushing out of the lab.  
  
"NO!" - he thought, running after the little critters - "If they tell  
Dark Kat I developed an antidote for hisss ssserum, I'm dead!"  
  
He jumped in front of them and grabbed two of them with his tail. With  
a simple squeeze of his powerful extremity he crushed the fragile bodies  
of the little critters.  
  
However, one of them sneaked between his legs and managed to get away.  
  
Despaired, Viper ran towards his fungus and gave him the case with the  
antidote.  
  
"Guard thisss with your life! Don't let Dark Kat or any of hisss  
alliesss put their pawsss on it. Allow accesssss only to me... or to the SSSWAT  
Katsss... Now GO!"  
  
The giant mutated mushroom engulfed the case and began oxidizing the  
basalt wall with his acid fluids. In a few seconds, he was gone. Viper  
hit the top of the tunnel repeatedly with his tail in order to seal the  
passage.  
  
His tail was bleeding and burnt like hell.  
  
But, the pain he was feeling was nothing compared with what he felt in  
his mind at being forced to accept the help of the SWAT Kats if it  
became necessary.  
  
"VIPER!" - Dark Kat bellowed as he burst into the lab.  
  
"I will destroy you with my bare paws, you treacherous salamander!"  
  
His devilish eyes blazed like torches. Viper turned to him.  
  
"I'm glad you came, sssir!" - he said, trying to pretend everything was  
okay but being betrayed by a tip of nervousness in his speech. "I've jussst   
finissshed my tasssk! The ssserum isss effective when inhaled now!"  
  
"Your pathetic lies won't save your tail now, Viper!" - Dark Kat roared  
as he grabbed Viper by his neck and easily lifted him from the ground. Viper  
fought the urge to snake his tail around the purple kat's neck. Instead, he just  
spoke to him.  
  
"But sssir... It'sss true... The ssserum his developed... There..."  
He pointed toward the lab bench. "There'sss an entire batch I jussst made. Jussst   
put it in an ssspray and sssee for yourssself!"  
  
The bulky kat seemed to power down a little. He tossed the reptilian  
scientist away. If what Viper was saying was true, then he didn't need him any  
longer. But his creeplings had told him that Viper had made an antidote as well.  
  
But there wasn't anything in sight.  
  
At least anything suspicious.  
  
"Very well, Viper, I will believe you one more time, but I am growing  
tired of you!"  
  
He headed for Viper and grabbed him by his neck again, tightening his  
grip so that it became difficult for the green kat to breathe.  
  
"But, hear my words, Viper. If I *ever* suspect you again, I'll kill  
you no matter whether I'm right or not."  
  
He tossed him away again and left the lab, slamming the door shut. The  
creepling that had warned Dark Kat was trapped inside.  
  
Viper's eyes glowed in rage. He grinned at the creepling, showing  
his powerful fangs. He fully unsheathed his claws and hissed furiously.  
  
He pounced toward the creepling.  
  
The little critter was so frightened it didn't even move when Viper  
slashed its chest with his claws. He pinned the tiny ripped body to the ground  
with both paws and dug his fangs into its flesh, scattering and breaking the  
creepling's bones.  
  
When he finished shredding the pink critter, his snout and fangs were  
dripping with purple blood.  
  
With his eyes still glowing he roared in victory, a deafeningly loud  
sound inside his lab.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Huh? Where am I?" - the brawny kat muttered to nobody in particular as  
he woke up from the drug-induced sleep.  
  
He was already in Feral's private infirmary, on the bed where he had lain  
for the past month. His vision was still unfocused and he saw two blurred  
forms approaching. The smaller one talked to him. It was Felina.  
  
"It's okay - you're all right now." - she said soothingly as she laid a  
paw reassuringly on his shoulder. "You're back in my uncle's room."  
  
"Your uncle?" - he babbled - "Is it you, Commander?" - he asked  
pointing to his left - "I'm sorry, my vision's still clouded."  
  
Feral frowned. He had never apologized him for anything.  
  
"Lieutenant, could you leave me alone with your uncle for a second.  
There's something I need to tell him."  
  
"Sure." - she said as she left the room. She stopped at the door.  
"If you need anything, just yell. I'll be right outside."  
  
She closed the door. The big kat could see almost perfectly now.   
  
Feral assumed his usual scowl. "I'm waiting. What is it?"  
  
"Thank you, Commander."  
  
Feral was shocked! He had never expected to hear it from that kat! He  
regained his posture immediately.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For allowing me to stay here. You probably saved my life."  
  
He offered a paw to Feral. Hesitantly, Feral accepted it and both kats  
shook paws. Feral couldn't contain himself anymore and despite the bandages  
the big kat had wrapping his chest, he leaned toward him and gave him a tight hug,  
which caught him completely off guard.  
  
"C-commander? What the heck...?" - he managed to say.   
  
Feral let him go and sat on the bed.  
  
"There's something I need to tell you too. I know you just came out of  
surgery and need rest, but this time is as good as any other to say  
that..."  
  
Words didn't come out. He looked at the brawny kat, inhaled and let out  
a long sigh...  
  
"...you're my son, Furlong!"  
  
T-Bone was caught in a double shock! Feral knew he and Chance Furlong  
were the same kat!  
  
But even more shocking was the revelation that Feral was his father! He  
remained there, jaws wide open in complete disbelief. He suddenly  
narrowed his eyes. He took off the mask and revealed his identity, growling.  
  
"That's low, Feral!" - Chance snarled - "You know I don't have any  
family! I don't have brothers! I grew up on the streets! My mom died when I   
was six!"  
  
His eyes welled up when he spoke of his mother and heavy teardrops ran  
across his facial fur  
  
"I never had any one! Only the Holy Kats know how I wanted to belong to  
a family! Well, I didn't find a family in the true meaning of the word,  
but I did found a brother: Jake!  
  
He's my family!  
  
He's everything that matters to me!  
  
He and my bride are the most important kats in this whole wild world.  
  
Now you come to me and say you're my father! It's sickening! If you  
wanted to hurt me, you could have stabbed me in the back, 'cause it would have  
been less painful!"  
  
He wiped his tears with the back of his paw. Only then did he notice a  
single tear running down Feral's face.  
  
Feral was shocked. He never believed Chance would welcome him right  
away, but he never thought he would take it as a personal attack. He rose from  
the bed and exited the room.   
  
Felina saw his face and immediately realized something  
was wrong. She rushed inside the room and saw Chance putting on his mask.  
  
"Chance! What do you think you're doing?" - she said worriedly as she  
ran towards him.  
  
"Leave me alone, Felina! Don't make me hate you too!" - he grimaced  
when he tried to dress up the sleeves of the severed G-suit.  
  
"You're in no condition to leave! You just came out of surgery! You  
need to rest!" - she said as she tried to stop him.  
  
"I'm not staying here one more second!" - he growled - "I hate your  
uncle, Felina! I never imagined he could play so low! My father! Ha!"  
  
Felina grabbed his face and forced him to turn his gaze to her.  
  
"He *is* your father!" - She shot out.  
  
She uncovered his right arm and showed him the mark he had near his  
elbow.  
  
"My uncle has the same mark on his right elbow! He had your life  
investigated. He made your mother pregnant shortly before they broke apart!   
They never spoke to each other again. He just found out you were his son a month  
ago!"  
  
T-Bone looked at her for a second and then started putting on his  
G-suit again.  
  
"I don't believe you!" - he said.  
  
"Have I ever lied to you, T-Bone?" - she retorted, her eyes pleading for  
him to stay.  
  
He looked at her. He powered down a bit. He was confused. His mind was  
swirling. He sank onto the bed.  
  
"T-Bone? Are you okay?" - she asked, concern spread all over her words.  
  
"I'm all right. It's just... It can't be!" - he said, shaking his head.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"He can't be my father! He just can't! We're completely different! I  
mean, just look at us! I'm a tabby and he's plain brown! He's taller than I  
am! He has amber eyes, I don't! We're completely different!"  
  
"I know it's disturbing, but how do you explain the mark? Both of you  
have it!"  
  
He shook his head and sank it against his bandaged chest.  
  
"T-Bone, if you want, we can do a DNA test to be positive!"  
  
He looked at her. His eyes bore no anger now, just an immense sadness,  
something she never thought was possible in him. But this kat had carried a  
burden of sadness on his back since he was just a kitten.  
  
"I never met my dad..." - he said in a low voice, eyes boring holes in  
the ground.  
  
"Mom told me he was a fighter pilot that was sent to the Persian Gulf  
and was shot down there. That's why I wanted to be an enforcer pilot...  
  
The best of all...  
  
So that my dad would be proud of me..."  
  
He let a single tear roll out over his face, his voice became ragged.  
  
"And now you tell me he's alive and he's the one who booted me out of  
the force?"  
  
"I know it's hard to accept it, T-Bone, but that seems to be the truth!"  
- she said as she put an arm over his broad shoulders.  
  
"And I know he's proud of you! As a SWAT Kat! You saved him so many  
times! You saved this *city* so many times! Do you think he wouldn't be proud of  
you?"  
  
He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, trying to fight the torrent of  
emotions that was subduing him. But it was too overwhelming! He turned  
to Felina and embraced her, the gates of his lachrymal pits wide open.  
  
She just caressed his back and let him cry silently.  
  
She was confused too. She never thought the big tabby to be so  
sentimental but she understood his behavior.  
  
She thought she would behave like that if she never met her family and  
then, suddenly, a relative was thrown in her way.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Three days elapsed.  
  
T-Bone had remained in Feral's infirmary, recovering from surgery.  
Feral never showed up there anymore and only Felina visited him three  
times a day, when she was off duty. T-Bone was recovering well and his  
injuries were almost completely healed.  
  
In the salvage yard, Jake and Turmoil filled their days repairing cars  
and practicing when they could. Jake's aim was better than ever and  
Turmoil's flying skills grew every day nearer T-Bone's.  
  
It was nearly dawn now. Every kat in Megakat City was asleep. However,  
back in Megakat National Park's volcano something was about to happen.  
  
The PastMaster had finally slipped out of his trance and opened his  
eye. A smile of satisfaction emerged on his skeletal snout. He headed for the  
'throne room' and bowed to Dark Kat. The bulky purple kat straightened and  
leaned to the sorcerer in anticipation, a rush of adrenaline streaming in his  
arteries.  
  
"I've found it, sire!" - the sorcerer said while he was looking to the  
ground - "I've found the Dark Pyramid!"  
  
Dark Kat couldn't believe his words. Could it be true? Could he have  
his powers back after all this time?  
  
"Where is it?" - Dark Kat asked, exhilaration in his voice.  
  
"It's a continent away, but I can make it appear wherever you want,  
sire!" - the sorcerer replied.   
  
A devilish grin appeared on Dark Kat's face.  
  
"I want it here - right in the center of Megakat City!"  
  
His eyes blazed on anticipation.   
  
The PastMaster simply nodded. "Consider it done, sire!" - the skeletal figure   
closed his eye and raised his arms as he began chanting a spell. The watch in   
his left paw glowed to life and a purple beam of light came out, directed upward.  
  
The beam went out of the volcano through its crater and rushed toward  
Megakat City Municipal Park, where it sank in the ground with the roar  
of thunder, awakening the entire dormant city.  
  
Meanwhile, Dark Kat summoned all his allies.  
  
"The time has come, my slaves! Today, the world will bear testimony to the  
power of Dark Kat and his Dark Pyramid! But, there are some things to be done  
before I can destroy this puny planet! And I count on you, my slaves, to protect  
the Dark Pyramid while it's not fully operational!  
  
Metallikats, you will help Mutilor and Hard Drive with their drones.  
You will be my first line of defense.  
  
Viper, I count on your plantimals to defend the Dark Pyramid. I require  
a wall of your trademark brakes and briars surrounding the Dark Pyramid.  
The PastMaster will join you when he finishes his present task.  
  
Go on, my loyal slaves! It's doomsday time!"  
  
The villains scattered. The Metallikats, Mutilor and Hard Drive headed  
for the hangar and went inside three 'Destroyers,' letting the drones guide  
them towards Megakat City.   
  
Viper went to the lab.  
  
"I better follow hisss orderssssssss!" - he thought - "I don't want to  
become a roasted lizard. Although I could have usssed a little more time  
to prepare the sssolutionsssssssss with the katalissstsssssss. Well, I'll  
just have to ussse my plant growth formula.  
  
Maybe I have time to make a few giant wassspssssss with katalissst 99  
and Viper Mutagen 368. And, a few giant mutated frogsss with katalissst X63.   
Let'sss sssee what I can do on sssuch short notissse."  
  
He then began mixing all the chemicals he needed.  
  
Dark Kat was in the hangar, commanding his creeplings while they were  
loading a bomb inside the cargo bay of the Doomsday Express.  
  
"Careful, my creeplings! We don't want any accidents now and miss out  
on all the excitement, do we? When this bomb blows up, the serum will  
spread all over Megakat City. All katizens will be forced to inhale it and  
then, they will all become my slaves! But, that won't happen before I restore my  
dark powers and set my masters free again!"  
  
He burst out in a devilish laughter as he entered his aircraft and flew  
out of the hangar.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Meanwhile, on the salvage yard, Jake and Turmoil woke up with the crack  
of thunder, as well as all Megakat City. They exchanged curious looks.  
  
"What was that?" - she asked.   
  
Jake shrugged. "It sounded like an explosion! Or a lightning cracking awfully close!"  
  
He stepped outside of the room and headed to the garage, opening the  
gate. The sun was about to rise and everything seemed normal except for a  
fresh wind that suddenly came to life.  
  
He felt a chill running along his spine. Something was wrong. That wind  
wasn't natural.  
  
"You feel it too?" - he turned to Turmoil.  
  
"The wind? You bet! It's kind of... supernatural!" - she shivered a bit  
- "What do you think, Jake?"  
  
"It can only be one thing!" - he said, narrowing his eyes - "The  
PastMaster! I just can't locate any storm brewing! His time portals usually come  
with a storm of wind and lightning." - he squinted in the distance - "But there's  
none!"  
  
"Maybe it's just a normal storm this time."  
  
"Maybe." - he said, not completely convinced.  
  
Both kats went inside and headed into the kitchen for breakfast.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What the heck was that?" - T-Bone said from the bed.  
  
He woke up too with the thundering roar of the beam. He caught a  
glimpse of it and it didn't seem like an ordinary lightning bolt.  
  
"I've got a bad feeling about this! I just hope the Enforcers can  
handle whatever will happen!"  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
For at least half an hour after the cracking sound, nothing happened.  
Dark Kat began fearing for his Dark Pyramid. But then, the show began.  
  
Trembling.  
  
An earthquake.  
  
The ground shook like a wild horse, opening large cracks that radiated  
from the park. Four obelisks made of black rock began slowly lifting from the  
ground, unearthing century's old trees.  
  
The skyscrapers were shaken and a few didn't resist the tremor, falling  
in big chunks of concrete and steel. The others that were still surviving the  
tremor started darting big shards of glass toward the ground, annihilating every  
living thing with whom they contacted.  
  
Then, the tremor intensified.  
  
Dark Kat watched with glee as the top of his Dark Pyramid began slowly  
cropping out of the ground. In a few minutes, the infamous monument was  
completely unearthed as buildings of all sizes tumbled in a deadly bow to it.  
  
Dark Kat landed his Doomsday Express near the black rock monument and  
rushed inside it.  
  
Viper, who came with him inside his ship, began spraying the remaining  
trees and plants with his growth formula. In a few minutes, they developed  
thorns and grew as a wall surrounding the pyramid. He summoned his plantimals   
from the ship's cargo bay and placed them around the entrance of the black   
monument.  
  
Mutilor and Hard Drive's drones were flying like buzzards around the  
top of the pyramid, which stood up nearly 300 meters above the ground level,  
dwarfing City Hall and Megakat Trade Towers. Its base occupied most of the nine  
square kilometers of the park.  
  
The PastMaster transported himself to there and, with his watch, he  
summoned a few dozen living-dead skeletons from the graveyard and put them   
between each obelisk, completing the perimeter defense of the Dark Pyramid.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  



	3. The SWAT Kats' Final Resistance - Part T...

TITLE: THE SWAT KATS' FINAL RESISTANCE: PART THREE   
  
AUTHOR: C. L. Furlong   
  
DATE: January 26, 2001   
  
FINISHED: February 04, 2001   
  
LAST REVISION: February 14, 2001   
  
E-MAIL: chance_lizard_furlong@aeiou.pt  
  
RATING: PG13  
  
SUMMARY: Revelations about Dark Kat's past. Another "Katastrophe"   
episode, only this time, the new Radical Squadron has cut in much   
too close... With an ending that might not please everyone...   
  
DISCLAIMER: SWAT Kats and anything related to the series is property   
of Hanna-Barbera. No infringement is intended and no profit is gained   
with this fiction.   
  
COMMENTS: This fic didn't correspond exactly to what I had in mind,   
but it seemed to have worked out reasonably well nevertheless. It's   
a little bit dark/red and positively mystical. I usually don't do this   
kind of plot, but it sounded good to me. Amon and Horus are two Egyptian   
gods related to the "upper world" while Seth, Hades, Pluto and Hel are   
the rulers of the "underworld" in the Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Nordic   
mythologies, respectively. Again, if you find any grammar or spelling   
errors in this fiction, please try to remind that I'm writing in a foreign   
language, as I'm not an english speaker. You´ll find that parts of this   
fiction resemble a lecture, and you're right - they are! Though fiction   
my plots may be, I'll always try to make them look plausible so when you   
finish reading one you ask yourself "Could it really be done?" Of course,   
this one escapes a bit from that line. Besides, my education as a Biology/  
Geology teacher taught me that the Internet is a perfect place to learn,   
so I'll always try to introduce some concepts of Biology/Geology in my   
fiction when possible. And, please *do* let me know about your comments   
on this fic so I could do something better next time. Cheers to all SK fans.   
Special thanks to Kristen Sharpe for her comments and proofreading on Part   
One. You *really* gave me a boost on this one. I can't thank you enough!   
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
THE SWAT KATS' FINAL RESISTANCE - Part Three  
  
Jake and Turmoil were startled by the tremor when they were finishing  
their breakfast. Jake ran out with Turmoil just behind him.  
  
He was shocked to see what was happening in Megakat City.  
  
They both watched in bewilderment as the ominous dark triangular shape  
slowly lifted from the ground, covering the rising sun as buildings collapsed  
to make room for it.  
  
"Now I'm sure this is work of the PastMaster!" - he said - "LET'S HIT  
IT!"  
  
Both kats ran to the hangar. The klaxon was already ringing when they  
came down there.   
  
Jake picked it up. "Yes, Miss Briggs. We're aware of the problem. We'll check it   
out right away!"  
  
"Wait! You won't believe who's behind this!" - Callie said with a tone  
of disbelief. - "Guys, the PastMaster, Dr. Viper and Dark Kat are working  
together!"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
He was surprised. He wasn't expecting another evil alliance with Dark  
Kat.  
  
"We're on our way, Miss Briggs. Razor out!"  
  
He turned to his locker and put on his G-suit as fast he could. Katana  
was already aboard the Turbokat, checking its systems. He jumped on board  
and she gunned the engines while the canopy was closing. The jet hurtled forward  
down the access tunnel and flew out of the underground hangar toward Megakat City.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
"CRUD!" - T-Bone screamed as he got up from the bed.  
  
He wanted to go to the window and have a look at what was happening  
outside, but he knew he shouldn't do so while the tremor lasted. As reinforcement  
to his hesitation, the window simply burst and shards of glass scattered around  
that area.  
  
"What the heck's happening?"  
  
Felina entered the room in that instant to check up on him.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine! But what's happening outside? It looks like MegaWar III!"  
  
"Nothing the Enforcers can't handle! Now go back to your bed! You're  
not completely well!"  
  
"Not well? Lieutenant, the city's falling apart and you tell me I'm not  
well? I gotta help Razor!" - he said pushing his way toward his G-suit  
but Felina held him tightly. She turned out to be stronger than he was expecting.  
  
"You can't help anybody if you're not fully restored!" - she pleaded to  
him - "Let the Enforcers handle this! It's just an earthquake! There's  
nothing the SWAT Kats can do about that!"  
  
He calmed down a bit.  
  
She was right.  
  
As far as he could tell, it was a normal earthquake...  
  
A very, very long one but, still, an earthquake!  
  
Besides, he didn't heard the Turbokat yet. He didn't know if that was a  
good or a bad thing. It could mean that there wasn't any emergency situation  
or that Razor didn't survive the crash although he had ejected him.  
  
He sat in the bed and sighed.  
  
"Okay, Felina... I'll stay put..."  
  
"Good! I gotta go now! See if you get some rest, okay? See you!"  
  
She got out of the room and he headed for the G-suit, putting it on.  
  
Just in case.  
  
He looked out of the window. The rumble had passed now and everything  
was a mess in the streets. He then heard a familiar sound.  
  
The Turbokat!  
  
It flashed right over his head. So, Razor was still alive!  
  
"YES! WAY TO GO, RAZOR!" - he shouted. But then, his joy faded. If the  
SWAT Kats were called, then there was trouble.  
  
And, he couldn't think of anyone else but Dark Kat.  
  
He narrowed his eyes until they were nothing but thin slits and  
growled.  
  
"Get ready, Dark Kat... 'cause nothing will save your tail from us now!  
I gotta get back to the hangar and get my glovatrix. Something tells me I'm  
gonna need it! But, I'm gonna need a lift as well to get back there."  
  
He got out of the room and headed for the tarmac on the roof of  
Enforcer Headquarters. He saw a jet in the hangar and got into it.  
  
"Just like the old Enforcer days!" - he thought.  
  
He checked the jet's systems and then gunned the engines. The jet  
hurtled forward and lifted off Enforcer Headquarters. Fortunately, everyone was so  
busy helping the victims of the tremor no one noticed him.  
  
"I hope 'dad' doesn't mind me borrowing one of his jets!" - he thought  
and directed the jet towards the salvage yard.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
Inside the Dark Pyramid, Dark Kat immediately found what he was looking  
for. He stepped inside the main chamber, standing in the center of the black  
monolith. Four black statues stood in the four corners and a shallow pool of a  
purple liquid remained in the center of the chamber. He grinned at the sight. He  
entered in the pool and walked until he was in the middle of it. He then raised his  
arms and began chanting.  
  
"Cauldron! CAULDRON! Hear me! Hear your master!"  
  
The liquid began churning as a faint purple glow emerged from it.  
  
"Restore my youth, Cauldron! I command you!"  
  
The glow intensified all of a sudden and the liquid rushed upward,  
covering Dark Kat's bulk. The liquid defied the pull of gravity for several  
minutes until it started to settle down again. Dark Kat remained in the same place.  
  
He wasn't the same kat anymore, although his features remained the  
same. He stepped out of the pool. He felt renewed, pulsating with energy and  
power. He headed for a pulpit-like platform and once again raised his arms, now  
even more muscular than before.  
  
"My masters! Hear me! Awake from your perpetual sleep! MASTER HEL!  
MASTER PLUTO! MASTER HADES! MASTER SETH! AWAKE!"  
  
The statues' eyes glowed red.  
  
"Yes! YES, MASTERS! IT IS ME, DARK KAT, YOUR LOYAL SERVANT!"  
  
The cavernous voice of Seth spoke for all  
  
"Dark Kat! We need more time to step into this world. Amon's curse was  
too powerful. We'll need more energy to leave the limbo where we were sent!"  
  
"Then, I shall give it to you!"  
  
He turned to the purple pool again.  
  
"Cauldron! Drain the energy of this pathetic planet... NOW!"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Outside of the pyramid, the top of the obelisks crackled as a burst of  
purple lightning shot from them, directed to the top of the pyramid. The  
bright skies started turning darker by the minute as a swirl of dark clouds  
formed on top of the black monolith.  
  
The Dark Pyramid was beginning to drain the energy of the atmosphere.  
  
Suddenly, gale force winds started blowing as heavy clouds merged with  
the swirl, releasing bursts of lightning that lit the entire city. Then, a  
torrent of purple energy left the swirl of clouds and rushed down to the top of the  
pyramid.  
  
The Turbokat was fighting the threatening winds.  
  
"CRUD! I've never seen a storm like this, Razor! I don't know if I can  
hold her much longer!" - Katana said as she tried to keep the jet leveled.  
  
"Try to hold her still! I've got that pyramid right in my sights!  
Baby-Boomer Missiles... AWAY!  
  
Two missiles were fired at the top of the pyramid but two 'Mutilators'  
intercepted them with a shot of prasium laser.  
  
"Next time you better shoot with your eyes open, SWAT Kat."  
  
A voice crackled over the radio. Razor couldn't believe it.  
  
It was Hard Drive!  
  
"You are no match for my drones, SWAT Kats!" - the radio crackled  
again.  
  
Razor recognized that voice too.  
  
Mutilor!  
  
That was impossible! They destroyed him years before!  
  
"What's the matter, SWAT Kats? Kat ate your tongues?" - Mac and Molly  
said.  
  
Razor was dumbfounded!  
  
The Metallikats, the PastMaster, Hard Drive, Mutilor, Dr. Viper and  
Dark Kat... All together! His thoughts were interrupted as a blast of prasium   
laser passed directly over the canopy.  
  
"What do we do now, Razor?" - Katana asked as she dodged the blasts  
from the twenty drones.  
  
"We fight back! Smoke screen... NOW!"  
  
Razor pressed a button and red smoke burst out of the jet. Some of the  
'Mutilators' seemed confused and attacked each other. Others crashed  
against the pyramid. When the smoke got thinner, only fifteen drones remained   
in the air.  
  
Mutilor took the lead and attacked the black jet. Razor was expecting  
him.  
  
"Come on, you four-armed creep! I'm waiting! Cement machine-gun! FIRE!"  
  
Cement rained on Mutilor's 'Destroyer'. Too heavy to continue to fly,  
the light drone plummeted down and crashed against the living wall of  
thorns. The vines grabbed the ship and tightened their grip around it,   
crushing it and Mutilor.  
  
"Flash-Bolt Missiles...DEPLOYED!"  
  
Two missiles were shot from the Turbokat. Their nose cones broadened  
and an immense flare lit the entire sky, blinding Hard Drive and jamming the  
optic receivers of the Metallikats, causing them to crash down. Viper's plantimals  
oxidized the mega-alloy with their acidic sap, causing the drones to explode.  
  
Hard Drive managed to get out in time, but the blast of his 'Destroyer'  
caught him in the back, knocking him out.  
  
The remaining drones engaged the Turbokat and opened fire on it. One of  
the blasts hit the underside of the jet but the mega-alloy armor protected  
it.  
  
"Let's see how you like a Turbo-Blade!"  
  
Six Turbo-Blades were shot from the Turbokat's wings and found their  
targets. However, their ABA mega-alloy armor protected them from the hits.  
  
"Crud! Well, since explosives and cutters don't work, how about a  
little electricity? Scrambler Missile barrage... AWAY!"  
  
Ten scrambler missiles were fired, each of them aimed to a different  
drone. The seven remaining 'Destroyers' were hit as well as three 'Mutilators'.  
Their circuits were completely toasted by the immense electric discharge from  
the missiles and they all exploded in the air.  
  
"Now to take care of these two pests! Banshee Missiles... do your  
thing!"   
  
Two missiles darted from the cargo bay and started emitting high-pitched sonic waves,   
scrambling the electronic circuitry of the remaining two drones, that crashed against   
an obelisk, exploding a little later.  
  
"BINGO! We're clear!"  
  
"Radical shooting, Razor! You rid us of those vultures  
single-handedly!" - Katana cheered.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a burst of energy and dodged the  
jet before it could hit it.  
  
"Crud! Those robots are still alive!"  
  
The Metallikats had survived the explosion of the drone and were firing  
their blaster cannons at the jet.  
  
"That's enough!" - Razor said - "Blowtorch Missiles locked... Loaded...  
DEPLOYED!"  
  
Five missiles were fired at the Metallikats. The blasts were so great that   
their bodies were instantly destroyed. Only their battered heads remained. The  
red glow in their eyes faded as their central processors lost power.  
  
"That should teach them not to meddle with the SWAT Kats."  
  
But then, the jet bounced.  
  
"Crud, we're hit!" - Katana said - "That little troll with the watch  
got us! Gotta... bring her... down...!"  
  
She tried to lift the nose cone but to no avail. The jet wasn't  
responding.  
  
"We gotta eject, Razor! It's outta control!"  
  
"Wait. Launching Cyclotron!"  
  
The red transport shot from the cargo bay. Katana managed to get out of  
the way of the falling jet. The Turbokat crashed against the wall of vines,  
exploding and torching the wall.  
  
Now, they had to face the living-dead forces of the PastMaster.  
  
"This would be easier if we still had the Turbokat!" - Razor mumbled.  
He managed to open his seat and retrieve a missile launcher from there.  
"Try to gather all those skeletons, Katana! I'll try to overthrow 'em  
with a single shot!"  
  
"You got it!"  
  
She began circling the living bones like they were sheep. In a few  
minutes, Katana managed to get most of them in a tight bundle.  
  
"It's now or never, Razor!"  
  
"Octopus Missile... AWAY!"  
  
The Octopus Missile hit the skeletal forms and broke them all.  
  
"BINGO! Those bones aren't moving anymore! Now to take care of the  
PastMaster!"  
  
He aimed his glovatrix and fired a Mini Spider-Chain Missile at the  
sorcerer.   
  
The PastMaster still aimed his watch but the missile broke into three parts   
attached by a chain and he missed the shot. The divided missile wrapped the   
PastMaster in its chains and let out an electric discharge that knocked the   
sorcerer unconscious.  
  
"You did it!" - Katana said as she drove the Cyclotron through the  
flaming opening the Turbokat had made in the vine wall.  
  
"Affirmative! But, now we gotta deal with Dr. Viper!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
"YES! I can see the salvage yard! I just hope I'm not too late to help  
Razor! That black pyramid gives me the creeps!" - T-Bone said as he decreased  
the throttle of the Enforcer jet and got ready to fire the VTOL engines. Only then  
did he remember.  
  
"Aw, crud! I'm not flying the Turbokat! How am I supposed to land this  
thing here?"  
  
He looked outside, searching for a place to land, but there was nothing  
he could use.  
  
"Crud! Not enough room to land! I should have taken a chopper instead... Well,   
guess my only chance is to eject from here and let it crash somewhere safe! I hope   
'dad' doesn't mind losing one of his jets!"  
  
He pressed a button and his seat ejected. The jet hurtled toward a  
corner of the salvage yard and crashed, exploding a little bit later. Fortunately,  
there was nothing flammable in there.  
  
T-Bone activated the chute and landed softly some distance from the  
garage. He unbuckled from the seat the moment it touched the ground and ran to the  
garage and to the hangar. He opened his locker and was surprised to find it stuffed  
with she-kat's clothes.  
  
"What the...? What's going on around here? Huh?"  
  
He looked to the door and saw a picture of Turmoil in a convict suit  
and himself as Chance Furlong. It wasn't the best couple picture, but it was  
the only one they had.  
  
"Katanya? You paired up with Jake? That means... you're out there,  
flying the Turbokat with Razor? Aw, crud! I gotta reach 'em!"  
  
He slammed the side of his helmet, activating the radio as he searched  
for his glovatrix.  
  
"Razor? Razor, do you copy? Razor?"  
  
Nothing but static was the response.  
  
"Crud! Something must be blocking the radio waves!"  
  
He finally found his glovatrix and swiftly slid it on his right arm,  
loading it with some mini missiles, Turbo-Blades and cement.  
  
"I just hope they didn't take the Cyclotron!"  
  
He spun to face the hangar. Only the Turbomole, the Hoverkat, the  
Sandkat and the Hydrokat were there and none of them could get him to the Dark  
Pyramid fast enough.  
  
"Thanks, Razor!" - he groaned - "Guess my only choice is..."  
  
He slammed a button on the wall near a control console and an elevator  
started its descent with the tow-truck on it. T-Bone maneuvered the  
machinery, slowly transforming the tow-truck.  
  
"...the Thundertruck! Let's *rock*!"  
  
T-Bone entered the black vehicle, buckled up and started the engine.  
Slamming the truck into gear he stepped on the accelerator until it contacted the  
floor, making the truck jump forward.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Inside the Dark Pyramid, Dark Kat was trying to restore his full powers  
but failed in every attempt.  
  
"WHY? Why do you deny me my powers, masters?"  
  
Again, Seth spoke for all in his cavernous voice.  
  
"You *will* have your powers back, Dark Kat, but only *after* we're  
free, not before!"  
  
"But I need them! Five thousand years is far too long to be separated  
from such power! I want it back!" - he pleaded.  
  
Hades' eyes glowed and he spoke for the first time, though his voice  
was the same as Seth's.  
  
"You already have your youth back! You're now stronger and faster than  
the majority of mortals! Don't ask for more now!"  
  
The red glow on his eyes faded as Hel's eyes blazed to life.  
  
"We will give you your full powers as soon as we enter this world.  
Don't worry! We will help you if you need part of your powers restored in the  
meantime."  
  
Then, the chamber fell silent for a few minutes as the hard realization  
seeped into Dark Kat's mind.  
  
His masters didn't trust him!  
  
He realized that so much power could be used to destroy them while they  
were weak, trying to leave the limbo.  
  
Dark Kat didn't feel betrayed. On the contrary! He felt flattered! His  
own masters feared him!  
  
The most powerful creatures in the world feared him!  
  
"There must be a way to get my powers back without their help!" - he  
thought  
  
"And if I get them back, I can destroy Pluto, Hades, Hel and Seth! And  
then, NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO STOP ME!"  
  
------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Deploy Mini Tar-pedoes!" - Razor said as he and Katana fired them at  
the incoming plantimals, covering them with the sticky black substance.  
  
"Is this the best you can do, Viper?" - he shouted to the reptile who had  
stayed at the entrance of the Dark Pyramid.  
  
"It'sss not over yet, SSSWAT Katsssssssss! Behold my giant killer  
wassspssss! They will render you dead meat!"  
  
Two giant wasps flew over the SWAT Kats and fired their stings at them.  
  
"Come on, Viper! Can't you come out with something new?" - Razor teased  
the green kat.  
  
"If I have had a little more time, you'd be dead now, SSSWAT Kat!" - he  
thought - "On sssuch short notissse, thisss wasss the bessst I could  
do!"  
  
Razor and Katana dodged from the stings. Katana aimed her glovatrix and  
fired two Mini Match-Head Missiles. The missiles found their targets,  
burning the overgrown mutated bugs.  
  
"Now it's your turn, snake-puss!"  
  
"Fire Mini Spider Missile" - Razor said as he shot a yellow missile.  
  
From it threads came out that wrapped Viper tightly. He couldn't help  
falling to the ground. The good doctor hissed and sibilated in fury but couldn't  
do anything to get rid of the grip. The SWAT Kats passed by him and entered the  
pyramid.  
  
"SSSWAT KAT!" - Viper screamed - "DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THISSSS! I BEG  
YOU!"  
  
Razor looked back and hesitated a little.  
  
"Razor, come on! We still gotta deal with Dark Kat!" - Katana said,  
stopping a few feet ahead of Razor.  
  
"Get going! I'll meet you in five minutes!" - he said looking back at  
her.  
  
She acknowledged and went inside.   
  
Razor went to Viper and kneeled beside him. "Okay, you have my attention, Viper.   
What do you want?"  
  
"Don't leave me like thisss, SSSWAT Kat! Untie me!" - he begged.  
  
"Yeah, right! So you could kill me! Goodbye, Viper!"  
  
He stood and prepared to leave when Viper's desperate cry stopped him.  
  
"NO! If you won't untie me, at leassst kill me! I don't want Dark Kat  
to do it. It would be too long and painful!"  
  
Tears slid down Viper's eyes. Razor was surprised. Viper was so afraid  
of Dark Kat he was begging the SWAT Kat to kill him. He shook his head.  
  
"Sorry, Viper but you *will* stand trial when all this is over!  
Besides..." - Razor said, growling and showing Viper his fangs in disgust  
"...I haven't forgotten that you turned T-Bone into a mutated frog that  
time!"  
  
Razor spun in his heels and ran after Katana, leaving a desperate Dr.  
Viper behind.  
  
"To let me live... isss the worssssst punishment... you could ever give  
me, SSSSWAT Kat!" - Viper said, in a low tone... "But mark my wordsss, SSSSWAT   
Kat... My revenge upon you will be terrifying...  
  
If I manage to live..."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"CRUD! The streets are filled with debris!" - T-Bone said as he dodged  
another chunk of concrete and steel fallen from a nearby skyscraper.  
  
He had been driving that way since he entered Megakat City. Now, the  
street ahead of him was completely blocked by a big portion of a nearby  
building.  
  
"Megalaser locked and loaded! FIRE!"  
  
A torrent of laser energy burst out of the laser gun muzzle on the rear  
of the Thundertruck and hit the giant debris, nearly pulverizing it.  
  
"I just hope I'm not too late! Hang on, you two! I'm coming!"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"It was about time!" - Katana hissed when Razor caught her - "What did  
he want, anyway?"  
  
"Nothing serious! He just wanted to talk."  
  
He looked ahead. A stony wall blocked the corridor.  
  
"Hmm! Guess we'll have to make our own door, huh? An Electronic Detonator  
should do the trick!"  
  
He stuck it on the wall and began setting the timer.  
  
She didn't know if she heard it or simply sensed it, but Katana ducked  
as a lance just hit the wall behind her.  
  
Razor turned his head to look at Katana but only saw her jumping  
towards him. She pushed him away from the path of another spear. Razor was fully  
aware now and before another spear was shot he managed to locate the slot on the rock  
wall and cemented it. Another lance flew past him and he shot some more cement  
slugs, blocking the other slot in the wall. With the slots sealed, no more  
spears could be shot.  
  
Razor ran to Katana, who was lying on the ground.  
  
"No! Katana!"  
  
The lance that was meant for him had perforated her body from her back.  
  
The sharp tip of the spear protruded slightly from her chest. Her  
G-suit's color was quickly changing from blue to black around the spear.  
  
"Katana! Katana, speak to me!"  
  
Her voice came in gasps of blood and almost inaudible.  
  
"I'm glad... to have... met you... Jake..."  
  
She coughed and blood dripped freely from her snout.   
  
Razor's eyes welled up and heavy tears rolled off his face. Her lachrymal pits   
opened up too.  
  
"You think... Chance... would've been... proud... of me...?"  
  
"Of course, Katanya!" - he said, calling her by her name for the first  
time. "Of course he would! And I am too! Now save your breath! You need to  
rest!"  
  
"I'm not... gonna make it..." - she started but Razor interrupted her.  
  
"Don't say that! I won't let you die! You're gonna make it, Katanya!"  
  
She coughed again and more blood dripped from her snout, some of it  
landing on Razor's G-suit.  
  
"I know I'm dying..." - she looked into the infinite - "Chance, my  
love... I'm coming to join you..."  
  
Her eyes unfocused and she closed her eyelids. Her breathing and  
heartbeat ceased. Her body hung limply on Razor's paws.  
  
"KATANYA... NOOOOO!" - Razor shouted, his heart pounding with grief.  
  
First Chance.  
  
Now Katanya.  
  
He leaned over her bloody torso and silently cried for a few seconds.  
  
Then his attention centered on the rock wall. The detonator was still  
there.  
  
The rage against Dark Kat was again filling his chest.  
  
He wiped away the tears with his sleeve and dragged Katanya a little so  
she wouldn't be buried under the rubble when he made the wall explode. The  
timer was set for five seconds. He activated it and ran toward Katanya. The  
explosion got him, throwing him to the ground beside her. He got up and rushed   
into the big antechamber.  
  
It was dark inside. However, he could sense a presence in there.  
  
He wasn't wrong.  
  
The room illuminated all of a sudden with dozens of torches, blinding  
him for a few moments. In the middle of the room stood a bulky dark figure.  
Razor narrowed his eyes when he recognized it.  
  
"Dark Kat!" - he growled.  
  
Dark Kat's eyes blazed like coals on fire. He greeted Razor in his  
thundering voice.  
  
"I must say I am impressed, SWAT Kat! I never thought you could pass  
through my defenses! But, now you must face me!"  
  
"With pleasure!" - Razor snarled and ran to Dark Kat.  
  
The purple kat assumed a fighting stance.  
  
Razor leapt into the air and kicked Dark Kat hard on his face. He  
barely touched the ground and leapt again, rotating his torso and then his hips  
in order to deliver another kick at the bulky kat's back.  
  
Dark Kat flew forward towards the wall with the strength of Razor's  
kick, but readily stood on his feet. He sprinted toward Razor.  
  
The slim kat was awaiting him with his left fist laid beside his chest  
and the right one extended in front of him. When Dark Kat was in reach, he  
extended his left arm while retracting the right one and concentrated all his strength  
behind his left fist.  
  
"THIS IS FOR T-BONE!" - he roared. The punch hit Dark Kat right in his  
abdomen, causing him to bend over himself.  
  
"AND THIS IS FOR KATANA!"  
  
Razor hit him in the back with his right elbow, making Dark Kat crash  
to the ground.   
  
Dark Kat remained unmoving for a few moments. Razor backed away a little,  
panting.  
  
To his surprise, Dark Kat stood on all fours and shook his head. Then,  
slowly, he raised from the ground and wiped the dust from his cloak. He grinned  
at Razor and laughed.  
  
"Is this the best you can do, SWAT Kat? You amuse me!"  
  
As fast as a lightning, Dark Kat punched Razor in his stomach,  
making him bend over himself. He then hit Razor's stomach again with his knee,  
causing him to jump into the air and then smashed his fists against the slim  
kat's back.  
  
Razor crashed on the ground. He tried to raise himself but Dark Kat  
kicked him on the face, making him roll over to the wall. Razor steadied  
himself on his legs. He saw Dark Kat running to him, leaping into the air and  
delivering a flying kick in the face that smashed Razor against the wall.  
  
Razor was surprised.  
  
Dark Kat could fight Kat-rate!  
  
How did he learn it?  
  
A thin thread of blood dripped from Razor's mouth. This was going to be  
harder than he expected. Razor threw a punch, but Dark Kat grabbed his left  
fist. He tried again with the right fist but Dark Kat grabbed it too. He   
tried to free his paws but it was as if a vice was grabbing him.  
  
He took advantage of Dark Kat's support and raised both legs to kick  
him hard in the face. Dark Kat stepped backward and released Razor so that he   
landed on his feet and jumped in the air to kick Dark Kat in his chest. The   
kick was so powerful that Dark Kat was sent backward five meters.   
  
The purple kat rapidly stood to his feet, rubbing his chest.  
  
"I think we have played long enough, SWAT Kat!"  
  
He retrieved his cane from somewhere inside his cloak and placed it in  
his paw like it was a sword. Razor couldn't understand why the purple kat   
did that.  
  
Dark Kat swooshed his cane across Razor's chest. The slim kat jumped  
backward just in time to avert his hit.   
  
Dark Kat started chuckling. "You didn't even notice it, SWAT Kat!"  
  
Razor was confused.  
  
Noticed what?  
  
Dark Kat slipped two fingers over his cane and a red liquid came down  
between his thumb and forefinger.  
  
It was blood.  
  
But, from whom?  
  
And, how could his walking stick have fresh blood on it?  
  
Only then did he notice the twin razors protruding from each side of  
the walking stick. Realization came down like a bomb! It was Razor's   
blood Dark Kat was sweeping off his cane.  
  
He looked at his chest. His G-suit and shirt were ripped and his chest  
had a bleeding gash from his lower right chest up until his left shoulder.  
  
Razor was dumbfounded!  
  
He didn't even see it coming!  
  
"Now, SWAT Kat, you die!"  
  
Dark Kat lunged toward Razor, but the slim kat was aware now and avoided  
the slash. He jumped away from his aggressor, rolling on his back and  
standing to his feet.  
  
"Now you'll know why they call me Razor, Dark Kat!" He aimed his glovatrix   
at the purple kat. "Deploy Mini Turbo-Blades!"  
  
Two blades were shot at Dark Kat. The purple kat didn't stop to think. With   
his cane he swept away both of the offensive blades. One fell near his left   
foot.  
  
The other came rushing back to its origin.  
  
Razor was caught off guard. He tried to jump away but the blade dug  
into the muscle of his right leg, ripping through it - the sinews and   
a nearby artery as well...  
  
Razor let out a cry of pain as he slumped to the ground, blood gushing  
from his leg and soaking the floor. With extreme pain he took the Mini  
Turbo-Blade from his leg. He tried to stand on both legs but to no avail.  
He gritted his teeth as he slumped to the ground again.  
  
From behind him, Dark Kat approached slowly as if sure of his victory.  
  
"The supreme irony!" - he chuckled - "A razor shot down by another  
razor!" He laughed; a devilish and insane sound reverberating from the   
walls. "Pathetic mortal! You really thought you could defeat *me*, Dark Kat,  
emissary of the Four Hells, prowler of Death?"  
  
He rubbed his cane over Razor's neck, scratching it and making a thread  
of blood drip from the cut.  
  
"Foolish mortal! Your death will bring me a great amount of pleasure!  
Like I had when your partner died!"  
  
"HE'S NOT DEAD! YOU HAVE HIM CAPTIVE!" - Razor shouted.  
  
"You're insane! Your partner *died* in the crash! I saw it with my own  
eyes! I saw the body covered in blood in an alley! It made me *so* happy to  
see that *accursed* SWAT Kat lying in the middle of the garbage, bleeding to  
*death*!"  
  
Teardrops raced down Razor's facial fur as Dark Kat shattered his  
hopes to see T-Bone alive.  
  
"Just *remembering* that image fills me with joy! But, enough talking! Now,   
you'll join your partner in the grave!"  
  
Dark Kat slowly raised his cane over his head.  
  
"I may be down, Dark Kat... BUT I'M NOT OUT!"  
  
Razor jumped with his left leg and extended it, delivering a kick to  
Dark Kat's face so powerful that the purple kat flew backward three   
meters, dropping his cane.  
  
Razor landed on his left leg, the other hanging limply.   
  
Dark Kat slowly sat up on the ground, grabbing his nose, which was   
bleeding. Razor's jaw dropped in shock.  
  
Dark Kat's blood was black like tar!  
  
The purple kat noticed his surprised look.  
  
"What's the matter SWAT Kat? Impressed to see the color of my blood or  
the face of your assassin?"  
  
Dark Kat rapidly stood to his feet. Razor recovered from his astonishment   
and dove for the cane. He managed to reach it but Dark Kat's foot stomped   
on it, pinning the cane to the ground. He then kicked Razor in the face.  
  
He bent to grab his cane and Razor got up and threw himself toward  
the huge kat. But, Dark Kat was ready, this time. He grabbed Razor by his  
left leg with one paw while he was still on the air and threw him like a   
doll towards the wall.  
  
Razor crashed against the rock wall and was about to regain his feet  
when Dark Kat crushed him against the wall with his forearm. He then let   
Razor fall to the ground.  
  
The SWAT Kat coughed and vomited some blood. Dark Kat grabbed him by  
his neck and tightened the grip on it. Razor grabbed the brawny purple arm   
with both paws but was able to do nothing. The grip tightened and he began   
having trouble breathing.  
  
The lack of air had its consequences. He started to see the corners of  
his vision turn black. The grip remained around his neck. He was loosing his  
senses. He let both arms fall limply by his side.  
  
His whole body hurt and went limp.  
  
When he was about to lose consciousness, Dark Kat let him go.  
  
But, it was too late.  
  
Razor welcomed the blessed darkness that invaded his mind.  
  
"You were a worthy opponent, SWAT Kat! I won't kill you yet. I promised  
myself I would have a little fun with you first! And I intend to keep my  
promise!"  
  
He crossed his arms over his chest and pondered, trying to decide what  
he was going to use for his amusement. He snapped his fingers.  
  
"Of course!"  
  
He raised his arms and prayed to his masters.  
  
"Master Pluto! MASTER PLUTO! Bless me with your thunder!"  
  
A roaring lightning of electricity rushed from the top of the room and  
hit the bulky figure.  
  
"Yes! Thank you, Master Pluto!" - he turned to his creeplings - "Chain  
the SWAT Kat to the wall, my creeplings. The way you please."  
  
The little critters dropped on top of the unconscious form of Razor and  
started ripping his G-suit and shirt with their claws and teeth while  
they lifted him and carried him to the wall to the left of the entrance.  
  
"My masters were very obedient this time!" - he thought - "They must be  
entering this world any minute now. Seems like I won't be able to  
destroy them after all.  
  
No matter!  
  
At least I shall have my vengeance!"  
  
Lightning rays crackled between Dark Kat's fists as his eyes blazed.  
  
------------------------------------------------------  
  
T-Bone had finally arrived to the obelisks, where a few skeletons  
remained, guarding the unconscious form of the PastMaster.  
  
The ground was too irregular, even for the Thundertruck. He slipped on  
his jetpack and flew over the battlefield. He could see small fires all  
around the place where the drones had crashed. Up ahead was the vine wall,   
now completely in flames. T-Bone engaged the afterburners and flew through   
the wall of flames.  
  
Noticing he had his G-suit on fire, he stopped, took off the jetpack  
and rolled in the dirt, putting out the fire. He slipped it on again and   
ran toward the entrance to the Dark Pyramid.  
  
A few sap slingers attacked him, spitting acid sap. Although he dodged  
the majority of the shots, he was hit in the right forearm by some spit,  
causing a nasty acid burn.  
  
He tried to keep his attention on the plantimals. He fired a Mini  
Scrambler Missile at them and ran inside. The plantimals were fried by the   
half a million megavolts discharge from the missile.   
  
Only then did he see Viper.  
  
"SSSWAT KAT! HELP ME!"  
  
T-Bone stopped and headed for the green kat  
  
"Releassse me, pleassse!"  
  
"You gotta be joking, snake-eyes! Give me one good reason to do that!"  
  
He grabbed the reptilian scientist by the collar.  
  
"I have the antidote for Dark Kat'sss neurological ssserum! He intendsss to   
control every kat in the city with it. If I die, no one will ever have   
accesssss to it!"  
  
T-Bone shoved the triple barrel of his glovatrix in Viper's snout.  
"Where is it? TALK!" - he snarled.  
  
"Only if you untie me!" - Viper shot back.  
  
"Let's make a deal. You tell me where you hid it while I untie you." -  
the big tabby proposed.   
  
Viper nodded and started talking while T-Bone released him.  
  
"My fungusss hasss it. I can call him and give you the cassse that has the  
antidote! It can be inhaled like Dark Kat'sss ssserum."  
  
The fungus appeared from underneath the ground and headed for Viper,  
now completely free. He ordered the giant mushroom to give him the wooden  
case, which the creature did. Viper gave the case to T-Bone.  
  
"It'sss in your pawsss now, SSSWAT Kat. The dessstiny of all katkind  
isss in your pawsss now!"  
  
Viper turned to leave when T-Bone stopped him.  
  
"Wait! What is this antidote made of?"  
  
"Why do you care? Think you can underssstand the chemissstry behind  
it?" - Viper chuckled dryly.  
  
"Try me!" - he challenged the reptilian scientist.  
  
Viper's eyes glowed a bit. "Very well, SSSWAT Kat. If you want to be   
humiliated by a sssuperior intellect, sssuit yourssself."  
Viper turned and stared at the big tabby. "Do you know what hematological   
parameters are?"  
  
"If I'm not mistaken, those include the number of red and white blood  
cells."  
  
"Very well! And the number of the hematocrit and the absssorbenssy  
ssspecter of hemoglobin. I sssuppossse you know what thossse are."  
  
T-Bone admitted his ignorance respecting those two parameters.  
  
"The firssst isss jussst the proportion of red blood cellsss over the  
total volume and the sssecond showsss the mossst absssorbed light  
wavelengthsss by the molecule of hemoglobin..."  
  
"Which is the molecule that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide and  
gives our blood its red color." - T-Bone completed.  
  
Viper was impressed. He had obviously underestimated the SWAT Kat's  
intelligence.  
  
"Now, I ssstudied my blood with ressspect to thossse lassst two  
parametersss and found out they were the sssame of a normal kat. But, I   
am a mutated kat, with reptilian traitssssss. For sssome reassson, I had  
exsssssstremely high hemoglobin levelsss for a reptile.  
  
The ssserum wasss ineffective on me and I knew it had sssomething to do  
with my blood. Do you get it?" - Viper asked.  
  
T-Bone shook his head no although he suspected the serum had something  
to do with the hemoglobin.   
  
Viper sighed. "Don't you ssssssee? It'sss the hemoglobin! The high   
consssentration of hemoglobin in my blood kept the ssserum from controlling   
my mind!  
  
I analyzed the ssstructure of the moleculesss that make up the  
ssserum. They're hemoglobin moleculesss - only the sssentral ion isss other   
than iron. For some reassson, a high consssentration of normal hemoglobin   
moleculesss causesss a reaction that disssssociates the mutated hemoglobin   
moleculesss."  
  
"So, you're telling me that the antidote is concentrated hemoglobin?" -  
T-Bone asked, looking at the case he was holding in his paws.  
  
"Pressssssssisely! Now, if you'll exssssscuse me, I have to get going. I  
don't want Dark Kat to kill me. Ssso long, SSSWAT Kat. Nexssssssst time we  
sssee each other won't be for a lesssssson in body physiology!"  
  
T-Bone turned to the black monolith and fired a Mini Baby-Boomer  
Missile at the pyramid, opening a large crack in the sloping wall. He hid the   
case in there and rushed inside.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Razor woke up a few seconds after the creeplings had chained him to the  
wall. He was staring at the ground and was surprised to see the fur on his  
torso.  
  
The creeplings had completely torn his upper G-suit and shirt apart.  
His bare torso was leaning against the cold stony dark wall of the pyramid.  
  
Dark Kat turned to face the helpless SWAT Kat. "Ah, glad to see you've woken   
up already! We can start our diversion now!"  
  
Razor seemed surprised to see a few rays of electricity flickering  
between Dark Kat's fists.  
  
"You know, nothing gives me more pleasure than torturing someone! I  
enjoy hearing my victim's cries of pain! Let's get started, shall we? For this  
session, I've chosen electricity! Let's start with domestic voltage, huh?"  
  
Dark Kat extended his right paw and an electric bolt darted from it,  
hitting Razor square in his chest.  
  
The SWAT Kat closed his eyes as all his muscles contracted painfully, but   
Razor said nothing.   
  
Dark Kat seemed impressed. "Did you know I can release a five million megavolt   
discharge?" - he asked matter-of-factly. "Let's double the stakes, shall we?"  
  
Dark Kat shot another bolt. 440 volts hit Razor. He trembled intensely, but  
still refused to scream.  
  
"What takes to make you cry, SWAT Kat? 1000 volts?"  
  
He shot another bolt and let it hit Razor for five seconds.  
  
Razor closed his eyes, gritted his teeth and squirmed as the electricity   
contracted each of his muscles painfully. He dropped his head and, between   
pants, managed to talk to his torturer.  
  
"It takes much more than that to make me scream, Dark Kat! *That* is a  
pleasure I *won't* give you!"  
  
"Suit yourself!" - Dark Kat said as he fired another bolt.  
  
This time, 2000 volts hit Razor for ten seconds.  
  
Still, he managed to ignore the excruciating pain. He was sweating and  
panting like he had ran for miles.  
  
3000 volts.  
  
It was getting harder and harder to keep his concentration.  
  
"I'm impressed, SWAT Kat. I must admit it! Most kats would be toasted  
by now. But, you still resist! Let's see for how long!"  
  
4000 volts.  
  
Razor was on the brink of his control. He couldn't take it anymore. His  
whole body hurt. His breathing was labored. His heart was beating like mad.  
His blood was being drained from his body via the severed artery in his leg.   
His torso was soaked in perspiration.  
  
Dark Kat shot another bolt.  
  
5000 volts.  
  
Razor couldn't take it anymore!  
  
He shut his eyes, arched his head up and opened his mouth.  
  
A bloodcurdling cry of pain echoed down the dark rock walls, filling  
the chamber.  
  
His whole body contorted spasmodically.  
  
The attack seemed to go on forever.  
  
Dark Kat laughed with a sickening pleasure.  
  
Then, it ceased.  
  
Razor dropped his head to his chest, panting. Dark Kat grinned. His  
look was so devilish that even his creeplings hid behind him.  
  
Razor was defeated, ready to accept the price of failure.  
  
The last attack had made blood drip from his nose. Tears dropped from his  
eyes when he remembered his friend.  
  
"I'm sorry, Chance!" - he thought, shutting his eyes and allowing the  
tears to drop directly to the ground. He gritted his teeth. "I wasn't able to   
avenge you, bro! I'm sorry!  
  
I'm sorry!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
  
T-Bone ran down the corridor when he found a body lying on the ground a  
few feet ahead of him. The body was dressed in a blue G-suit and was about  
his size.  
  
"Oh, no!"  
  
The big tabby ran toward the limp form.  
  
"Please... Please don't let it be..."  
  
He knelt beside the body. The shock and the grief were perfectly  
visible on his face.  
  
"Katanya... No... No..."  
  
He removed the spear that trespassed her body and held her close to  
him. Tears dropped from his eyes. He pressed her face to his chest and held   
her tightly close to him. He then released her face from his embrace and   
gave her a slight kiss on her lips, teardrops merging with the blood on her   
muzzle.  
  
He settled her back in the ground and cleaned her blood from his face  
with the back of his gloved paw.  
  
His heart filled with rage and hate for Dark Kat.  
  
Then he heard a scream so painful and tortured he felt like it was his  
own. He stood to his feet and headed toward the entrance in the wall.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dark Kat was aiming his right paw at Razor again.  
  
He was preparing to finish him off.  
  
Suddenly, something exploded under him, sending him to his right, toward the   
exit door of the antechamber. He landed on his right arm, breaking it. He looked   
towards the entrance and his jaws went wide open.  
  
The other SWAT Kat was standing there!  
  
How could that be?  
  
He saw his body!  
  
He couldn't possibly have survived that crash!  
  
"GAME'S OVER, DARK CRUD!" - T-Bone shouted, aiming his glovatrix at the  
fallen devilish kat.  
  
Razor looked back at the entrance and couldn't believe his eyes.  
  
"T-BONE!"  
  
Razor smiled, but T-Bone looked shocked when he saw Razor.  
  
"Holy Kats!" - T-Bone said in a whisper, horrified with the macabre  
scene of Razor hanging on the wall, bleeding to death.   
  
He ran to his partner. "Razor! What did he do to you?"  
  
Shock and concern filled his voice. He cut the chains with the torch of his   
glovatrix while Dark Kat furtively escaped to the main chamber.  
  
When Razor was free, he hugged T-Bone with all the strength he still  
possessed. His voice was veiled with pain and tears slid wildly from his  
eyes.   
  
T-Bone corresponded, embracing his friend too.  
  
"I thought you were dead! I thought I'd never see you again when Dark  
Kat told me he saw your dead body..."  
  
He tightened his grip around T-Bone as his silent cry became a little  
bit louder, not wanting to visualize the gruesome scene but seeing it in his  
mind anyway.  
  
T-Bone was dumbfounded. He had never seen Razor drop a single tear before. In fact,   
he thought Razor wouldn't cry for anything in this world.  
  
Obviously, he didn't know his friend well enough even after all those  
years of close relationship. His heart filled with pity for him.  
  
"Razor! Razor, I'm here now! Everything's okay, buddy!"  
  
He moved Razor apart from him a bit and looked in those grief-soaked  
eyes. It broke his heart to see Razor like that. He seemed like a scared lost  
kitten that had suddenly found his big brother.  
  
"Don't cry anymore, Jake!" - he said in a whisper as he drew him back into his   
arms, close to him. Tears dropped now from the big tabby's closed eyes. "I'm   
here again and this time nothing will get me apart from you anymore, little   
brother!" - he said reassuring and soothingly.  
  
They remained that way for a few seconds. Razor regained his serenity  
and wiped his tears with his forearm and tried to step on his right leg. He  
slumped to the ground.  
  
"Easy, buddy! Your leg's hurt. Here. Hold on to me."  
  
T-Bone offered his right arm. Razor grabbed him right in the spot burnt  
by acid. T-Bone grimaced and a piece of skin fell under Razor's paw, leaving a   
red wound.  
  
"T-Bone, you're hurt!" - Razor said.  
  
Only then did he notice T-Bone's shredded G-suit. A black line was  
spreading over his lower left chest. Razor knew what it was.  
  
T-Bone was bleeding under his G-suit.  
  
"T-Bone, what's this?"  
  
"Nothing. Just a bit of oil from the Thundertruck."  
  
"Let me see." - he knew T-Bone was lying.  
  
"Razor! What are you doing?"  
  
Razor ripped T-Bone's G-suit and shirt with his claws and tore them  
open in that place. There was a thick red line across his fur.  
  
"What the... You went to surgery recently!" - he looked to his partner  
"Mind explaining why?"  
  
T-Bone sighed. "If you must know, I was shot."  
  
Razor's mouth opened in disbelief.  
  
"Yes. That drone shot me. That's why I didn't eject from the Turbokat. I   
thought I was already dead. The bullet ripped through my left lung, I could   
feel it. I knew I couldn't survive. So, if I had to die, at least I would die   
with the Turbokat."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" - Razor asked, shaking his head.  
  
"I knew you wouldn't eject if I said I was hit. We both would die and I  
couldn't allow it. Besides... you're more needed than I am. I'm just  
your pilot. You're the one who really defeats the bad guys."  
  
Razor couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
T-Bone was having an inferiority complex?  
  
That was a new one!  
  
"And, you think I could do it without you? You think I don't *need* you?  
You think I don't *care* about you? CRUD! I almost got myself *killed* just  
trying to avenge your memory! You saw it!"  
  
Razor sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.  
  
"T-Bone, you're my best friend! You can't imagine the hell my life became   
over the past month. I barely slept at all, having all these nightmares  
about you *dying* in my arms and there was *nothing* I could do about it!  
  
T-Bone, I'm not in this with you just because you're my pilot!  
  
You're my friend!  
  
You're my *brother*!"  
  
He paused again, then resumed in a softer tone.  
  
"Thanks for saving my tail back there. I really thought my time had come..."  
  
"Hey! What are bros for?" - T-Bone said, giving him his trademark smirk.  
  
"By the way, how did you manage to escape?  
  
The big tabby just shrugged. "Beats me! All I know is that I was crashing when   
my seat was ejected! I know I didn't touch anything! It ejected all by itself!   
hat took me away from the explosion, but I still was too close and got most of   
the blast in the face. Then I only remember waking up a week ago in Feral's   
infirmary."  
  
"Feral? What does he have to do with this?"  
  
"It's a long story!"  
  
"Okay, you can tell me later. Now just promise me one thing. Promise  
you'll tell me when you're injured from now on."  
  
"*Razor*..."  
  
"Promise me!"  
  
T-Bone hesitated a bit and then agreed. "Okay. But only if you promise you   
won't cry anymore when I'm around!" T-Bone smirked.  
  
"Bonehead!"  
  
Suddenly, Razor smacked his left paw to his forehead. "AW, CRUD! WE FORGOT   
DARK KAT!"  
  
"Don't worry! I'll catch him!"  
  
"What do you mean *you'll* catch him? I'm goin' too!"  
  
"You gotta be joking!"  
  
T-Bone pointed to Razor's leg.  
  
"Forgot you can't walk, Sureshot?"  
  
"Affirmative. But, I can fly! Mind if I borrow your jetpack?"  
  
T-Bone smiled. It appeared Razor had a ready answer for everything. He  
took off his jetpack and helped Razor put it on. Razor activated the jets and  
both kats went out of the antechamber.  
  
T-Bone activated the Mini Kat Scanner. The triangular screen in his  
glovatrix showed a blip.  
  
"Kat Scanner's got him! It must be Dark Kat!" - T-Bone said, running  
down the faintly illuminated corridor.  
  
Razor was surprised. They didn't find any more traps.  
  
"There's something I gotta tell you, T-Bone. Dark Kat... He's not the  
same kat anymore!"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He's stronger... and faster than before. I hit him a number of times.  
It was almost as if he didn't feel my kicks! T-Bone, the kat is a psycho!   
He's a murderer! He was having pleasure torturing me! He was pleased to see   
your blood-covered body!"  
  
"Let's see if he likes to see *his* dead body! I promised myself I  
would kill him with my paws if he hurt you, Razor. And, I intend to keep   
that promise!"  
  
Razor looked at T-Bone. For a second, he didn't recognize his friend.  
  
His eyes were glowing like torches. His fangs seemed overgrown and all  
his body seemed even more muscular than usual.  
  
He blinked and saw the face of his old friend come back again. Razor  
shook his head.  
  
Maybe he had lost more blood than he expected.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dark Kat was already in the main chamber. His masters had restored his  
arm. It was as good as new. But, he wanted more.  
  
"Masters! What about my powers? I need them to defeat all our enemies  
once and for... AAARRGGHH!"  
  
Seth shot a red beam from his eyes and sent Dark Kat back ten meters.  
  
"WE SAID YOU'LL HAVE YOUR POWERS WHEN WE ENTER THIS WORLD AND NOT  
BEFORE! DON'T FORGET WE CREATED YOU AND WE CAN DESTROY YOU AS EASILY!   
REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A PAWN IN OUR GAME! A PAWN THAT CAN   
BE EASILY DISCARDED!"  
  
Dark Kat was in shock. His masters never treated him like that. He  
began questioning if his powers were really as unlimited as he once thought.  
  
"However, we will increase your strength and speed. You can keep the  
Thunder of Pluto. Prepare to receive the Earthquake of Hades and the Breath   
of Hel! Step into the Cauldron."  
  
Dark Kat did as he was ordered.  
  
The statues of Hades and Hel raised their stony right arms and let down  
a cascade of green glimmering glow. The purple liquid inside the Cauldron   
rose and engulfed Dark Kat.  
  
A few minutes later, the liquid settled and both statues withdrew their  
arms. Dark Kat stepped out of the Cauldron. He was now stronger and faster  
than any kat on the planet.  
  
"Come to me, SWAT Kats. I'll reduce you to protoplasmic pulp with my  
bare paws!"  
  
"Did someone call the SWAT Kats?" - Razor said.  
  
Dark Kat spun and saw both SWAT Kats at the entrance to the main chamber.  
  
"Well, you got us, Dark Crud!" - T-Bone said.  
  
Before either of the SWAT Kats could react, Dark Kat rushed to them and  
punched them both hard, right in their midriffs, making both kats kneel and  
gasp for air.  
  
"CRUD!" - T-Bone thought - "How'd he do it? I barely saw him!"  
  
Dark Kat grabbed Razor by his neck and took off his jetpack.  
  
"You escaped me a few minutes ago, but I won't make the same mistake  
now!"  
  
T-Bone stood to his feet and ran toward the bulky kat.  
  
"LET HIM GO!" - he shouted as he prepared to punch Dark Kat in his  
ribs.  
  
"Sure, SWAT Kat! CATCH!"  
  
Dark Kat threw Razor against T-Bone. The slim kat knocked the big  
tabby, sending them both backward several meters.  
  
"Razor. Are you okay?" - T-Bone asked.   
  
His partner groaned and shook his head. "I'm all right!" - he said in a   
weak voice.  
  
T-Bone knew he had lost too much blood and keeping himself that active   
wasn't helping.  
  
"You stay here!" - he ordered - "Let me handle this! And *no* arguing!"  
  
Razor was suddenly feeling too exhausted too argue. He nodded.  
  
T-Bone stood to his feet. "It's just you and me, Dark Crud! We have an old   
score to settle... since that time you threw me into that pit with stalagmites!"  
  
"You still remember that? Well, I'm ready anytime, SWAT Kat! Come on! Throw   
your best punch!"  
  
Each kat assumed a fighting stance. Dark Kat sprinted toward T-Bone. He  
waited. When Dark Kat was in reach, he threw a punch at his stomach,   
making the purple kat bend over himself.  
  
"THIS ONE'S FOR RAZOR!!"  
  
In the same swift motion, T-Bone kicked Dark Kat's face, throwing him  
back. The bulky kat lost his balance and began falling on his back.  
  
"THIS ONE'S FOR KATANYA!"  
  
While Dark was still in the air, T-Bone smashed both fists against the  
huge kat's chest, causing him to hit the ground even harder.  
  
"AND THIS ONE'S FOR ME!"  
  
T-Bone jumped and rolled on his side in the air, extending his right  
leg. Dark Kat saw the foot rushing to him and rolled on the ground,   
avoiding it. T-Bone's foot crashed into the ground with a loud thud.   
Splinters of rock flew from that place.  
  
Razor was stunned. He had never seen T-Bone fight like that.  
  
T-Bone got to his feet and Dark Kat tackled him by the waist, carrying  
him toward the wall. The impact was tremendous. T-Bone gasped a bit of blood  
when his back slammed against the cold rock wall.  
  
Dark Kat stepped back to regain his stance. T-Bone grabbed the opportunity   
and delivered a powerful flying kick to the purple kat's chest, causing him to  
fly back a few meters.  
  
Dark Kat rapidly stood to his feet, but T-Bone was already rushing to him.   
He flipped forward and thrust off the ground toward Dark Kat's face. The  
kick was so hard Dark Kat flew back until the rock wall stopped him, slumping   
to the ground.  
  
"Where did he learn those blows?" - Razor thought, astonished. His eyes were   
wide open, as was his mouth. "He never fought me like that when we practiced   
back in the dojo! T-Bone *is* one heck of a fighter after all! He was just   
throwing the game all along!"  
  
Then, Razor noticed the black spot on his friend's battered G-suit. It was   
bigger than before, covering almost his entire left chest. All those moves   
must have ripped it even more.  
  
But, he didn't seem to care.  
  
His expression only reflected anger and concentration, not pain.  
  
T-Bone jumped on top of Dark Kat's chest and threw punch after punch at  
his face. "You filthy psycho! You thought you'd get away with what you did   
to *Razor*?"  
  
T-Bone growled as he endlessly punched Dark Kat. Then, suddenly, Dark  
Kat grabbed his right fist, the same with his left one. T-Bone was locked in   
his iron grip.  
  
"You really think you can kill *me*?"  
  
He slammed his head against T-Bone's. The thump was so great his helmet  
flew off his head and T-Bone was sent back to the ground. Dark Kat grabbed  
T-Bone's legs and threw him against the opposite wall.  
  
His back was slammed against the wall and he gasped some more blood. He  
tried to steady himself on his feet, but his head was spinning from the   
headbutt. Dark Kat ran to him, grabbed him by his collar and smashed his huge   
fist against T-Bone's stomach with all his strength.  
  
T-Bone opened his eyes wide and vomited a volley of blood. He was  
suddenly feeling pain all over his body.  
  
Dark Kat threw punch after punch into T-Bone's gut. The strength of the  
purple kat was outstanding. T-Bone was rapidly loosing his senses. Dark Kat,   
on the other paw, was enjoying every punch he threw, and every drop of the vital   
fluid that came from within his opponent was a prize for him.  
  
"NO!" - Razor thought - "He's gonna kill him!"  
  
With the rest of his strength, Razor dragged himself toward Dark Kat,  
leaving a red trail behind him.  
  
"What's the matter, SWAT Kat!" - Dark Kat mocked - "Came here prepared  
to fight a criminal and, instead, found a *GOD*?"  
  
"I think you're more like a sicko..." - T-Bone retorted.  
  
Dark Kat prepared to slam his fist harder into T-Bone's stomach when  
something tugged his cloak.  
  
It was Razor!  
  
"Leave him alone, Dark Kat!" - he said in a weak, painful-filled voice,  
nearly a whisper, eyes humid. "Please, leave him alone! Don't hurt him   
anymore!"  
  
T-Bone was taken aback with that statement.  
  
Razor had swallowed his pride and was humiliating himself to Dark Kat on  
his behalf! He had never seen Razor do that! His heart filled with compassion   
for his partner.  
  
"What is this *vermin* doing attached to my cloak?"  
  
Dark Kat let T-Bone go, who slumped to the ground, and kicked Razor in  
his stomach with all his might.  
  
Razor was sent rolling end over end into the opposite wall. When he  
stopped, he coughed and vomited a large quantity of blood.   
  
Dark Kat headed for him.  
  
"You will be the first to be sent to Death's arms!"  
  
T-Bone stood on all fours, grabbing his aching abdomen and spat some  
red saliva.  
  
Dark Kat's attitude made his blood boil.  
  
He was furious, perspiring rage through all his pores.  
  
Then, the mystical forces of that place started acting on T-Bone.  
  
The mark on his elbow glowed bright golden. His eyes started to blaze.  
His fangs grew longer and larger, as did his claws. His snout stretched   
forward. His muscle mass began to enlarge so much so that it ripped the   
rest of his shirt and G-suit.  
  
Dark Kat spun back to see what was happening.  
  
Through clouded eyes, Razor saw his friend slowly beginning to mutate.  
He tried to find a scientific explanation for what was happening, but his   
eyes closed before he could find one.  
  
T-Bone roared as the transformation completed. He was the same size as  
Dark Kat now. The brown stripes on his arms and back became clearly visible   
as the shredded clothes fell off his bare torso.  
  
Then, Dark Kat saw the glowing mark and his eyes widened.  
  
"*YOU*! *You* were the one who defeated my masters 5000 years ago!  
You're the envoy of Horus!  
  
MASTERS OF THE FOUR HELLS! HEAR ME! RESTORE MY POWERS NOW SO I CAN  
AVENGE YOUR DEFEAT!"  
  
"GRANTED THEY ARE!" - Seth answered as he hit Dark Kat with a red beam.  
  
An explosion was heard inside the chamber and gale force winds invaded  
the room. T-Bone covered his face with his arms. Then, as suddenly as   
it all began, it was over.  
  
T-Bone uncovered his face and saw Dark Kat in the middle of the  
Cauldron, floating in the air above the waters and pulsating with a faint   
purple glow.  
  
Dark Kat grinned at T-Bone. His eyes glowed bright orange. He seemed the   
true image of pure evil.  
  
"This time, envoy of Horus, you *die*!"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Enforcers, move in!" - Feral roared as he directed a tank through the  
burned out, mutated vines.  
  
Twenty enforcer tanks followed him. They found no resistance. Feral jumped   
out of his armored vehicle. It seemed the SWAT Kats had taken care of  
everything.  
  
As usual, he sadly thought.  
  
He took a look at the fried plantimals, some of which still smoldered.  
  
"Sergeant, secure the area. Make sure you apprehend all those psychos."  
  
He withdrew his communicator from his coat and pressed a button.  
  
"This is Feral! Lieutenant Feral, do you copy?"  
  
"I'm here, Commander. Over."  
  
"Land your chopper. I need you here. Feral out."  
  
"Ten-four."  
  
Felina landed her helicopter near her uncle's tank and jumped out of it.  
  
"What's going on, uncle?"  
  
"I'm going inside. I need backup."  
  
"Let's do it."  
  
Both enforcers ran inside the Dark Pyramid. They found the dead body of  
Turmoil a short while later. They took off her mask.  
  
"What's Turmoil doing with that outfit?" - Felina asked.  
  
Feral shrugged and moved on. She followed him.  
  
"I don't know and I don't care either."  
  
They entered the antechamber with their blasters ready, but the room   
was deserted.  
  
"Looks like there was a fight in here." - Felina noted.  
  
She looked at the pool of Razor's blood near the wall.  
  
"A pretty nasty one! Wonder whose blood this is..."  
  
"Let's not be more morbid than we have to, Lieutenant. Come on!" -  
Feral said.  
  
They both walked into the darkened corridor that connected the  
antechamber and the main chamber.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
T-Bone and Dark Kat tackled each other, but T-Bone managed to make Dark  
Kat loose his balance. He grabbed the purple kat and lifted him above his  
head, then threw him towards the rock wall, causing a some debris to fall   
over Dark Kat's body.  
  
Dark Kat freed himself from the rubble and flew toward T-Bone, punching  
him in the face. A thin thread of blood dripping from his nostrils, T-Bone  
lunged toward Dark Kat, but the purple kat kicked him hard in his chest.   
However, T-Bone didn't seem to feel it as he pounced toward Dark Kat again.  
  
This time, he managed to punch him in his gut. Dark Kat doubled over and  
T-Bone did a back flip, kicking Dark Kat in the face. Dark Kat readily  
stood, still on his feet.  
  
Both kats grabbed each other's fists and started pushing. T-Bone's  
muscles tensed to their limit and his pulsating arteries became visible under  
his fur. He gritted his teeth. His fur was damp with perspiration.   
  
Dark Kat grinned at him and pushed harder.  
  
T-Bone's feet sank a few millimeters into the ground, then a few  
centimeters.  
  
Dark Kat was winning again.  
  
Sparks flickered off both kats, irradiating from their paws.  
  
T-Bone couldn't hold out much longer in this deadly tug-o-war.  
  
"Dark Kat! You're under arrest!" said a familiar grave-toned voice.   
  
T-Bone looked behind Dark Kat and saw Felina and Feral at the entrance to the   
chamber.   
  
Felina barely recognized T-Bone. "T-Bone? Is that you?"  
  
Through clenched teeth, T-Bone managed to talk to her.  
  
"Lieutenant... Take... Razor... outta here... He's... badly... injured..."  
  
Dark Kat didn't seem to mind the exchange of words between the two kats.  
  
Felina spotted the unconscious form of Razor and put him over her shoulder.  
  
"There's... a wood case... in a crack... outside... secure it... Now  
get outta here... *NOW*!"  
  
Dark Kat pushed harder, and T-Bone was forced to drop one knee to the  
ground.  
  
"Nothing can save you now, envoy of Horus! Soon, my masters will enter  
this puny world and then, all katkind will be made our slaves... or  
exterminated if they refuse!"  
  
T-Bone gasped. He looked behind Dark Kat again and saw Feral. They  
exchanged looks and Feral's mark started glowing under his coat. His eyes   
blazed with a golden glow.  
  
"Uncle, what's wrong?" - Felina asked.  
  
Feral said nothing. Instead, he took off his coat and rolled his sleeves up,   
revealing his brawny arms.  
  
"Uncle! We gotta go!"  
  
"You go, Lieutenant! That's an order! *GO*!" - he roared.  
  
She blinked in surprise and then she carried Razor out of there.  
  
The glow in Feral's eyes intensified.  
  
He fully unsheathed his claws and they grew larger, as did his fangs  
and snout. His muscles enlarged, ripping his shirt much in the same way that  
T-Bone's had.  
  
Dark Kat was so sunk in his near-victory that he didn't notice Feral coming   
from behind. Feral grabbed Dark Kat and lifted him above his head. He then  
threw him against the wall, which partially came down on the purple kat.  
  
T-Bone, surprised, accepted Feral's paw in order to raise himself from  
the ground.  
  
Dark Kat burst out of the rock debris and looked at both mutated kats  
for a moment and then started laughing.  
  
"So, the envoy of Amon came to help his son, the envoy of Horus! But  
Dark Kat, emissary of the Four Hells and prowler of Death will destroy you   
*both*! How do those goodie two gods, Amon and Horus, dare to interfere with   
my masters' plans?"  
  
He then shot a lightning bolt from his paws, hitting both kats and sending   
them back toward the rock wall. The impact was so great that they broke the  
wall and landed in the corridor.  
  
Both kats shook their heads and headed back to the chamber, only to be  
shot again by a new bolt. Dark Kat floated above their heads, laughing like a  
mad kat.  
  
"DO YOU STILL REFUSE TO ACCEPT MY DIVINITY?"  
  
He reached for a control box inside his cloak and waved it in the air.  
  
"You see this? This is my key to total world domination!"  
  
He pressed a button on it.  
  
"What did you do?" - T-Bone asked, getting up. He was shot again by a  
bolt and slumped to the ground.  
  
"*Stupid beast*! You will only talk when *I* command you to do so! But,  
I will satisfy your curiosity so that you can see the brilliance of my   
genius! I activated the bomb in my Doomsday Express. In one hour, it will   
explode and all the kats in Megakat City will be forced to breathe the vapors   
that will come out! And, when they do, they will become my loyal slaves!  
  
You see, SWAT Kat, in one way or the other *I win*!"  
  
Dark Kat broke out in a devilish laughter.  
  
T-Bone and Feral exchanged glances and nodded.  
  
They jumped to Dark kat and gave him a double punch in the face, causing   
the purple kat to hit the statue of Hel, breaking it in pieces. Dark Kat  
screamed as part of his powers were ripped from his body and shot back into the  
shattered statue of Hel.  
  
"That's how we're gonna beat him!" - T-Bone said. - "Quickly, destroy  
the remaining statues, Commander!"  
  
Feral ran toward the statue of Pluto, picking it up in his arms and  
throwing it into the Cauldron. T-Bone jumped onto the statue of Hades, making   
it lose its balance and shatter on the ground.  
  
Dark kat's screams were bloodcurdling. He had already lost the majority  
of his powers. Only the statue of Seth remained.  
  
They prepared to destroy it, but Seth fired a red beam from his eyes  
that threw both kats back. They coughed and shook their heads. Seth shot at   
them again but they avoided it. Red beams kept coming from Seth's eyes, but   
T-Bone and Feral managed to dodge them all.  
  
"T-Bone, circle around from the right and I'll do the same from the left.  
When we get there, we'll hit it with a double punch!" Feral ordered.   
  
T-Bone acknowledged and started running. Seth tried to stop the incoming kats,   
but they dodged each of his shots. When they reached the base of the  
statue, they raised their right arms and punched the dark statue with all   
their might.  
  
The rock figure started cracking and exploded in debris.  
  
That was the final blow for Dark Kat. He fell unconscious to the ground.  
  
T-Bone and Feral were walking toward him when their bodies began  
shuddering spasmodically. They braced themselves while the energy that Amon and  
Horus had deposited in them was withdrawn from their bodies. They kneeled and  
screamed in pain as their bodies shrank and returned to normal. A few seconds   
later, they stood on their feet again and headed toward each other.   
  
T-Bone gave Feral his paw.  
  
Feral hesitated.  
  
"Thanks for the help... dad!" - T-Bone said, catching Feral off guard.  
  
When he recovered, he gave T-Bone his paw and both kats shook them.  
  
Father and son embraced finally in a tight hug.  
  
T-Bone finally had a family...  
  
"Mind if I *cut in*?"  
  
Both kats jumped backward when a swooshing blade came between them.  
  
Dark Kat was back! He might have lost his powers, but he was as deadly as  
before.  
  
He began attacking T-Bone. The big tabby avoided some slashes but Dark  
kat's cane inflicted some painful gashes on his torso.  
  
Feral attacked him from behind, but Dark Kat spun and thrust his cane   
through the side of Feral's abdomen, barely missing his stomach and pancreas.   
He retrieved his cane as a gush of blood hit him.  
  
Feral dropped to one knee, grabbing his bleeding abdomen.  
  
T-Bone jumped onto Dark Kat's back, but the purple kat smacked him  
against the wall, making T-Bone lose his grip and fall off him. Dark Kat spun  
his cane, but T-Bone ducked and it hit the wall, releasing a few sparks.  
  
T-Bone jumped to the corner of the room, near the place where the statue of   
Hades had stood. He desperately looked for something to use as a weapon since  
his glovatrix had shattered when he mutated. He looked to the ground. In  
Hades paw was a whip.  
  
T-Bone couldn't believe his good luck.  
  
He dived for it just as Dark kat smashed his cane into the wall where his head   
had been. He took the whip in his paws and rolled onto his back. The whip was   
a bit oversized, but he couldn't ask for more. He snapped his weapon in the air.  
  
Dark Kat paused for a second, analyzing the situation and then pounced  
over T-Bone. The big SWAT Kat whipped Dark Kat's cane out of his paw. Dark  
Kat let out a scream of pain as the tip of the whip severed his paw.  
  
"Say *good night*, Dark Kat!"  
  
From his left, Feral threw him a punch to the face so hard that the devilish   
kat readily lost consciousness.  
  
"Nice punch, Feral!" - T-Bone congratulated.  
  
Feral grimaced and knelt on the floor, grabbing his abdomen. T-Bone  
came to him with a worried expression on his face.  
  
"Dad! Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine! Let's get this criminal scum outta here!"  
  
Suddenly, the pyramid started trembling and chunks of rock began falling  
from the ceiling.  
  
"This place is coming apart!" - T-Bone said as he took Dark Kat over  
his shoulder.  
  
Feral helped him, and both kats carried Dark Kat out of the main  
chamber. They tried to run, but big dark rocks were tumbling all around them.  
  
"We're not gonna make it! I hope Felina got Razor to a hospital in  
time! He desperately needed some blood!" - T-Bone said.  
  
"We'll have lots of time to find out... if we can get our tails outta  
here!"  
  
They entered in the antechamber and dodged the falling rocks. They  
entered the access corridor. T-Bone stopped to look for Turmoil.  
  
"Where's Katanya?" - he asked. Feral frowned.  
  
"Who?" - He only knew her by the name of Turmoil.  
  
  
"Turmoil!"  
  
"If she's not here, maybe Felina took her along with Clawson!"  
  
T-Bone looked at Feral. Then, he thought that if he knew that Chance was  
T-Bone, then the mental association of Razor and Jake would be simple.  
  
"Let's get outta here, son. This whole place is falling apart!"  
  
"There! The entrance!" - T-Bone pointed.  
  
They rushed to it. They were about five meters from it when the corridor was   
blocked by a huge chunk of rock. The corridor behind them was also blocked with   
several rock chunks.  
  
"We're trapped inside!"  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Felina took Razor to the hospital. The doctors that examined him were  
categorical: Razor needed a blood transfusion immediately.  
  
"What's his blood type?" - the intern doctor asked Felina.  
  
"I don't know! Can't you test it?"  
  
Then, she had an idea. She excused herself and ran outside, out of the  
confusion of the emergencies. She called headquarters.  
  
"I need to get information on Clawson, J. He's an ex-enforcer. I need  
to know his blood type."  
  
In a short while, she was presented with Jake's entire medical record   
while he was in the Enforcers. She thanked the enforcer and rushed inside.   
Not five minutes had elapsed.  
  
"His blood type is O negative." - she saw a few faces frown.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
"Why couldn't he be AB?" - one of the doctors asked rhetorically.  
  
"He's a universal donor, but he can only receive blood type O. And, his  
Rhesus factor is negative. This makes his blood type extremely rare. And,  
we don't have any spare blood! Hell, we don't even have spare beds anymore  
thanks to that black monstrosity there!" - he pointed to the Dark Pyramid.  
"Thanks to this morning's earthquake we have our paws full!"  
  
"You mean you can't save him?" - she asked, half stunned.  
  
"I'm saying we have to find a compatible donor! If we don't, then we  
can kiss him goodbye!"  
  
Suddenly, they heard a rumbling sound, like thunder.   
  
Felina raced outside.  
  
The doctor came too. They witnessed the fall of the Dark Pyramid.  
  
"Uncle! T-Bone!" - Felina said in a subdued voice. She snapped out of her   
trance and ran toward the helipad.  
  
"Hey! What do you want me to do with the SWAT Kat?" - the doctor shouted.  
  
"Heal him! Find a compatible donor! And, don't you *dare* to take off  
his mask! If you do, you're dead meat! And, that's no threat! It's a  
promise!" - she shouted back as she stepped aboard her chopper.  
  
She engaged the rotors and flew off to the Dark Pyramid.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What do you mean you're not going in?" - Felina asked in disbelief.  
  
Lieutenant Commander Steele looked directly at her and repeated what he  
had just said.  
  
"I'm not going in, Lieutenant! I don't want to cause another collapse!  
This bunch of rocks is unstable! If we blast it, *then* we'd have signed  
Commander Feral's death certificate for sure. We'll stay put until a new  
development comes. And, that's an order, Lieutenant! Don't forget that   
*I'm* in charge!"  
  
Felina couldn't believe what she was hearing. That little creep was  
preventing her from rescuing her uncle! All in the name of power! Although  
his advice was right, her heart spoke louder.   
  
She spun on her heel and went to her chopper. She retrieved her bazooka and   
headed for the blocked entrance.  
  
Steele watched her as she carried her weapon and aimed it. He let her  
fire two mortars at the entrance and then ordered three enforcers to stop  
her. She fought back but was overpowered by the kats.   
  
Steele approached her with a smirk of satisfaction on his muzzle.  
  
"You're going to be court martialed for this, Lieutenant! You disobeyed  
direct orders from a superior and..."  
  
"Button it, Steele!" - came a rumbling voice from inside the pyramid.  
  
A brown paw surfaced from the rubble. Then, a few rocks were dislocated and  
then the rest of the rubble slumped to the ground. Feral and T-Bone stepped  
outside, dragging the still unconscious form of Dark Kat.  
  
"UNCLE!" - Felina tried to get free of the grip of the enforcers, but they  
held her tightly.  
  
"Release her before I boot you three off the force!" - Feral demanded.  
  
They let her go and she ran to Feral, embracing him. He grimaced in pain.  
  
"Felina... Please..."  
  
She looked down and saw the bleeding wound in his left abdomen. Then,  
she looked at T-Bone, who bore some gashes in his chest and abdomen. She  
helped her uncle while T-Bone carried the huge bulk of Dark Kat to her chopper.  
  
The remaining enforcers cheered loudly for their commander and waved their  
blasters over their heads.   
  
Feral straightened up and walked alone to Steele.  
  
"You *really* don't know what trouble is, Steele... And I'm going to introduce   
you to some more... in a court martial... Conspiracy to murder your commander...   
I want to listen what those educated kats have to say about it!"  
  
He then walked to Felina's chopper and lifted off.  
  
As they left, the rest of the infamous Dark Pyramid tumbled down and mysteriously   
vanished as though it had never existed.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Back at Enforcer Headquarters, Felina slammed Dark Kat in a cell after  
chaining him. She turned to the guard.  
  
"If he makes a move, blast him!"  
  
She then moved to her uncle's personal infirmary, where a doctor was  
observing Feral.  
  
"It's definitively a nasty injury but you'll live, Commander. We'll  
take care of you right away."  
  
Feral nodded and leaned back in the bed.   
  
T-Bone removed his mask after the doctor left. He grabbed Feral's shoulder.  
  
"Now, you're there and I'm here!" - Chance said.  
  
Feral gave him one of his rare smiles.  
  
"Thanks again, dad. I'd be dead if you weren't there."  
  
"Hey, what are fathers for?" - he said, blinking an eye - "Where's Clawson?"  
  
Felina smacked a gloved paw to her forehead. "Razor! I forgot him completely!"  
  
"How is he, Felina?" - Chance asked, concern growing inside his chest.  
  
"He needs blood! Desperately! But he is O negative and, thanks to Dark  
Kat, the hospital's blood supply is gone!"  
  
"Let's go! Which hospital is he in?" - Chance said as he put on his mask.  
  
"Megakat Memorial Hospital! I left him in the E.R." - she said as they  
rushed out of the room.   
  
They ran to the tarmac above.  
  
"You left Razor *alone* in an E.R.?" - T-Bone said, alarmed.  
  
He knew how scary an emergency room could look to someone waking up in  
there. He woke up several times in the E.R. during his troubled  
adolescence.  
  
"Crud! I just hope we can make it in time!"  
  
"You know a compatible donor?" - she asked.  
  
He didn't answer her.  
  
She asked again.  
  
"*I'm* the donor. I'm O negative too!"   
  
She stopped him. "Are you out of your mind? You think you got a lot of blood   
left to give?" - she bawled, pointing at the fur streaked in red on his torso.  
  
He looked to her intensely, grabbing her arms so tightly it almost hurt her.  
  
"Razor *needs* me!"  
  
"Are you willing to..." - she started, but he interrupted her.  
  
"I would give my *life* to save Razor's!" - he stated through clenched  
teeth. "Now, Felina, are you with me or against me?"  
  
She saw his will was unshakable. She nodded.  
  
"Let's go!"  
  
"By the way, Felina, did you take Turmoil out?" - he asked, suddenly  
remembering his loved one.   
  
Felina's answer made him stop.  
  
"No, I didn't! I couldn't find her!"  
  
"What?" - he asked in disbelief and shock - "You mean my bride was  
still inside that pyramid when it tumbled down?"  
  
She was taken aback with that comment.  
  
"Y-your bride? But, I thought you..."  
  
She took the lead. She didn't want him to see her tears. He loved  
another she-kat already...  
  
T-Bone ran after her toward the tarmac. He felt sorry for Turmoil, but  
all that mattered now was to save Razor's life.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
T-Bone and Felina arrived at the hospital. Razor was in the same  
stretcher she had left him in, but the doctor had remained with him. The   
doctor announced his refusal to let T-Bone be the donor, as did Felina.  
  
T-Bone grabbed the doctor by his collar and lifted him in the air with  
apparent ease. The doctor nodded hesitantly and set up the transfusion  
in a quiet, separate room.  
  
"I want you to know that if you die, I'll say you forced me to do this!"  
  
"Fine!" - T-Bone growled in disgust - "I assume entire responsibility  
for whatever happens to me or to my partner. You're a witness, Lieutenant.  
The doctor had nothing to do with this. I forced him to do so."  
  
"If that's your wish..."  
  
Suddenly, an explosion was heard in the distance.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"*NO*! Dark Kat's bomb! The vapor will spread all over Megakat City!  
Felina, grab a gas mask! You can still use the antidote!"  
  
"The antidote? You mean that's what's inside that case you told me to  
secure?"  
  
"That's right! You have to spray it all around Megakat City! Otherwise,  
every kat in this city will be one of Dark Kat's slaves!"  
  
"*Slaves*? Crud!" - she reached for her communicator.  
  
"Sergeant Reeves, this is Lieutenant Feral! Come in, please!"  
  
"This is Reeves. I hear you, Felina."  
  
"Reeves, give everyone in HQ a gas mask. There's no time to explain  
why. Go check on Dark Kat and give the guard a gas mask too. Hurry! Felina   
out!"  
  
She turned the communicator off.  
  
"Crud, I just hope Dark Kat's still unconscious! Doctor, give T-Bone  
and Razor an oxygen mask each and get one for yourself too. Gotta go,   
guys. My turn to save the city!"  
  
"Good luck, Felina!" - T-Bone said and then muttered to himself -  
"You're gonna need it!"  
  
He mentally cursed Dark Kat. Even unconscious he was dangerous.  
  
He also made a silent prayer that Viper knew what he was doing.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Felina lifted off from the helipad. She didn't know if the invisible  
vapor was already affecting the katyzens or not, but she couldn't waste time.  
She headed upwind to the west.  
  
She had loaded the flame-thrower tanks of her chopper with the translucent   
red solution and adjusted the air pressure so that it would come out as  
a spray and not as a stream.  
  
The clouds dispersed after the destruction of the Dark Pyramid. It was  
amazing to think that the clock didn't even sounded the twelve strokes  
for mid-day! It seemed to her that days had already passed.  
  
The sky was clear now and she could see the smoke column rising from  
the destroyed Doomsday Express over to the west. Dark Kat knew what he was  
doing. The prevailing western winds would disperse the neurological serum   
over the entire city. Luckily, it would work for the antidote as well.  
  
She got to the west edge of Megakat City and began spraying the antidote.   
It dispersed rapidly over the city, causing a faint rainbow to appear. It took  
her five minutes to spend the entire tank.  
  
She returned to the hospital, which was nearly in the center of the  
city. She calculated that, by the time she got back, the antidote would have  
already diffused over the area.  
  
She wasn't wrong. All over the place kats were rising from the ground  
and shaking their heads. She landed the chopper on the helipad and went  
inside. The E.R. was silent. Kats were fallen all over the place. She opened   
wide the front doors and the kats began to wake up.  
  
She went to a nurse and talked with her, her voice muffled by the gas  
mask. The she-kat seemed okay, as did all the other kats.  
  
The antidote had worked.  
  
Megakat City was safe.  
  
She took off the mask and went to the room where the SWAT Kats were.  
  
"Felina!" - T-Bone said, almost sitting up in the stretcher. - "Are you  
okay?"  
  
She blushed a little under her tanned fur.  
  
"I didn't know you cared about me, T-Bone!"  
  
T-Bone gasped and tried to say something, but she interrupted him.  
  
"I'm okay. And, so is the city. The antidote worked!"  
  
T-Bone let out a loud sigh of relief.  
  
"Thank the Holy Kats! Viper was right!"  
  
"Viper? Dr. Viper?"  
  
"Yeah! He developed the antidote."  
  
She was astonished. "And you *trusted* him?" - she asked in disbelief.  
  
"The kat was scared to death, Felina! I thought I could trust him...  
even though he turned me into a mutated frog that time..."  
  
His thoughts were torn away when he heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Hmm... T-Bo... T-Bone..."  
  
Razor was coming back to consciousness.   
  
T-Bone was cheered inside his mind.  
  
"I'm here, lil' bro!" - he said in a smooth tone, almost a purr.  
  
"Is everything over now?" - Razor asked, his voice a whisper.  
  
T-Bone gave him a paternal smile. "It's all over now, lil' bro!" - he purred   
reassuringly - "It's all over now!"  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
Two weeks later, in the salvage yard, Jake and Chance were dressing for  
one of the most important days of their lives.  
  
"C'mon, Chance! We're gonna be late!"  
  
"I'm comin'!" - Chance got to his friend - "Sure you don't want any  
help with that?"  
  
Jake sat in the tow-truck's passenger seat, closed the door and rested  
his cane between his legs.  
  
"Guess not!"  
  
Chance slid into the driver's seat, slammed the door and started the  
engine.  
  
Jake was doing well. His leg was almost completely healed, except for  
his tendons. The price of victory was a permanent limp in his right leg.  
Jake wouldn't admit it, but Chance knew his SWAT Kat career was ruined.  
  
Chance was well too. His injuries had healed completely and he was in  
almost perfect physical condition. Only his left lung was giving him problems.   
He couldn't do any heavy work. His SWAT Kat days were over as well.  
  
Chance drove them off to the courthouse. Today was a big day. Hard  
Drive, the PastMaster, the Metallikats and Dark Kat were standing trial. Feral  
managed to get them places in the first row, as if it was a theatre or something,  
where they would see justice being done.  
  
The room was beginning to fill up. Feral, now almost completely  
recovered as well, discreetly showed them their places. Chance asked him where   
Felina and the Deputy Mayor were. He said Felina was on assignment and Miss   
Briggs was surveying the reconstruction of the shattered homes. He went to the big   
mahogany doors of the courtroom and stood there.  
  
The room was completely full. Many kats appeared there just to see some  
of the most evil criminals of Megakat City being convicted for their  
crimes.  
  
The judge arrived and they all stood up.  
  
The accusation list was almost as long as a phone list. Most of the  
accusations were cast upon Dark Kat - from simple robbery to multiple homicides,   
from blackmailing to organized terrorism. The jury found all the villains   
guilty unanimously. Hard Drive was convicted to five years in prison.   
The PastMaster and the Metallikats got fifteen years in prison. Dark Kat... Well...   
Dark Kat got the capital penalty...  
  
"The accused has any final words to say?" - the judge asked Dark Kat.  
  
He closed his eyes and grinned, a devilish, wicked smile. He got up and  
walked to the bar. "I've said this before..." - he started in his thundering   
voice - "And, I say it again now!"  
  
He reached inside his cloak for a control box with a button and a timer  
and showed it to the audience.  
  
"If *I* lose, *everyone* loses!"  
  
The scene that followed resembled in all aspects that when he said the  
same thing and made the abandoned tuna factory on Megakat Island blow sky  
high.  
  
Jake said 'Crud! This whole place is wired to blow!'.  
  
Feral screamed 'Move!' and everyone rushed out of the courtroom.  
  
The explosion was enormous, destroying the entire courthouse.  
  
Feral managed to escape with minor injuries, but the villains and most  
kats that were inside the courtroom didn't have time to escape. A few minutes  
after the explosion, TV trucks covering the story surrounded the perimeter of  
the ruins.  
  
"This is Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News, reporting live from the ruins of  
Megakat City Courthouse, where the infamous villain Dark Kat just managed to  
make the entire building explode.  
  
The judge, the jury and most of the audience present in the courtroom  
where Dark kat was standing trial, along with Hard Drive, the PastMaster  
and the Metallikats are presumed to be dead, crushed by the debris."  
  
Johnny, the camera-kat, scanned the ruins with his camera.  
  
Nothing could be seen. The majority of the kats were under the rubble.  
  
Callie Briggs was already there too. Something grabbed her attention.  
She removed a chunk of wall, putting all her strength into the effort. The  
chunk rolled away and she stared in shock.  
  
Two tom-kats were there.  
  
Their bodies were crushed by the debris and soaked in blood.  
  
One of them was brawny and had golden fur with brown stripes on his  
arms.  
  
The other was slim and had orange fur and a cane near him.  
  
She checked their pulses.  
  
None.  
  
They were both dead.  
  
She let tears drop from her eyes when the hard reality struck her. She  
was looking to the dead bodies of her loved one, Jake Clawson, and his best  
friend, Chance Furlong.  
  
She noted another thing.  
  
They were holding their paws together.  
  
Together in life...  
  
Together in death...  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------  
THE... END ?  
--------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
  



End file.
